q
U
et
=
5
EDITORIAL
MIRACLE in NEWPORT - ΑΝ ENGLISHMAN’S VIEW
REVIEW OF IMAGE PROCESSOR II
NEWS FROM DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
QL 2000 TOWER CASE DIY-KIT
HELPFUL HINT (External Keyboard-90 Interface)
EASY POINTER III - A REVIEW
QMATHSI- A REVIEW: PART 2 of 2
GROUP BUY
RDS (Random Dot Stereograms)
SHOW PHOTOGHAPHS
SUNDRY IQLR ITEMS
HELPFUL HINT (How to keep Disk labels Clean)
SERMouse (Ver. 3.01) - A REVIEW
SUBSCRIPTIONS /ADVERTISEMENTS
ADVERTISERS
THE PROGS
THE PROGS
SOFTWARE 87
MIRACLE SYSTEMS
ERGON DEVELOPMENT
DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
MECHANICAL AFFINITY
QUBBESOFT P/D
JOCHEN MERZ SOFTWARE
DIGITAL PRECISION
W. N. RICHARDSON & CO. (EEC)
T.F. SERVICES
EDITORIAL
Newport, Rhode Island, USA - The Editorial Staff
There’s plenty of news to report starting with MIRACLE Systems announcement that the
software for the QXL is near completion. Now any PC can Multi-Task, provided it has a
QXL installed.
The PROGS from Belgium report that the latest versions of LINEDESIGN and
DATADESIGN operate perfectly with any QL and compatible configuration. Both
programs have had major improvements (new features) added as well. PD software
authors will be happy to know that DATADESIGN contains a demo version of
ENGINE REXT, which can be FREELY used in PD programs (the implement
command is disabled).
Davide Santachiara of ERGON DEVELOPMENT, Italy reports two new software
packages, the first being "ZM /128" an addition to their stable of Spectrum emulators, the
ZM/128 supports emulation of Spectrum 128K machines. Their second release is titled
"ERGON FLOPPY DISK UTILITIES’, a package of useful tools for ALL density disk
drives including HD and ED. Davide informed us that while Ergon cannot accept credit
cards, they can accept Direct Bank Transfers. Send Bank Transfers to:
BANCA POPOLARE DELL’ EMILIA ITALY
SWIFT BPMOD2 - TELEX 510031 emipop
SEDE REGGIO EMILIA - CC 6533/73 - DAVIDE SANTACHIARA
Davide reminds us to include 10,000 ITL to cover bank transfer fees (the fee is the same
for any currency).
Tony Firshman of TF SERVICES in the UK is shipping the long awaited Minerva 1.97
ROM upgrade. Tony also reports that Minerva MK II is now equipped with improved
battery connections and a D9 connector support his new ANALOGUE and PARALLEL
interfaces used with the I2C bus.
Bill Richardson of W. N. RICHARDSON & CO. (EEC) reports that he's shipping new
KEYBOARD MEMBRANES. (Editor's Note: Bill deserves the thanks of all QL'ers for
single handedly restarting production of Keyboard membranes, the original stock had
dwindled down to nothing.)
MIRACLE SYSTEMS will sponsor a QL show on Saturday, the 17 July 1993 at the
EUROVOLLEY CENTRE, Beneluxlaan, Vilvoorde, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM. The
main attraction will be the QXL in operation. Entry to the show is FREE.
The German Post Office is undertaking a countywide change in "POST CODES"
effective 1 July 1993. We've received the new codes for Jochen Merz (D-47169) and
Jurgen Falkenberg (D-75236), we'll report others as they become available.
QUANTA has released three new additions disks. The new disks include DEMO 5 and
the new LIBGUIDE (now loads directly from boot). The following seven disks have
been affected by either additions or upgrades:
DEMO3 DEMO4 962 GRAF2 MATHS2 PSION2 UG6
EDITORIAL - (CONT'D)
SOFTWARE 87 of the UK, has a new software inquiry telephone number (GB) 071 285
9008. You can reach them on weekdays between the hours of 1400 to 1700 GMT.
We (IQLR) have recently installed a FAX machine. You can now reach us by either
voice or fax at (USA) 401 848 3805.
Jurgen Falkenberg of Germany has sent preliminary product information on a new
product entitled the "QL-IFO-CARD". Billed as an intelligent I/O card with powerful
abilities for input and output It is reported to be compatible with any QL system
including the Gold-Card.
Now to the hard part (it's difficult to write about an affair you were so closely connected
with) IQLR sponsored the first ever QL (only) get-together in North America on the 5th
of June 1993. The affair was organized and held within a seven week time span. Even
with such short notice, 60 QL'ers managed to change their schedules and attend. The
average attendee traveled over 800 miles with Claude A. J. Schleyer from Albuquerque,
New Mexico traveling the greatest distance (2800 miles each direction), our publisher
traveled the shortest distance (2 miles).
Those attending from the UK included Stuart Honeyball of MIRACLE SYSTEMS who
demonstrated the QXL card on our editors 386DX PC. Tony Firshman of
TF SERVICES demonstrated the new Minerva 1.97, HERMES (replacement for the
8049 co-processor), and his new ANALOGUE and PARALLEL interfaces for use with
Minerva MK II's I2C bus. Bill Richardson of W. N. RICHARDSON & CO. was busy
selling KEYBOARD-90 and HARDDISK interfaces from Jurgen Falkenberg, and was
doing a brisk business with new QL Keyboard Membranes.
From Toronto CANADA came Hugh Howie who demonstrated PD software from the
Toronto user group, gave away samples of the group's newsletter, and recruited new
members.
Representatives from the USA included Bill Cable of WOOD & WIND COMPUTING
who demonstrated his new super financial package "ΟΙ ΕΕΚ". Tim Swenson of
"QL HACKER'S JOURNAL" fame offering disk collections of his fine publication as
well as great looking T-Shirts. Frank Davis and Paul Holmgren of
MECHANICAL AFFINITY and UPDATE MAGAZINE offered a complete line of QL
hardware and software from the major suppliers worldwide. Frank also offered back
issues of his quarterly UPDATE magazine. SeaCoast Services had Collector’s Editions of
IQLR and special "MIRACLE in NEWPORT" T-Shirts.
John Impellizzeri and Don Walterman from the Detroit, Michigan area demonstrated
differently configured QL systems including an assembled QL-2000 Tower Cased QL
from Jurgen Falkenberg. While John and Don were not selling anything their table was
quite busy.
A big part of "MIRACLE in NEWPORT" was the opportunity (many QL'ers took
advantage of) to socialize and pick one-anothers brains, while gleening as much as
possible from our UK visitors. Information flowed like a river at crest. On Sunday the
6th of June many of us gathered at the Pinapple Motel where Tony Firshman and Don
EDITORIAL - (CONT’D)
Walterman demonstrated how a Bulletin Board operates using QBOX software. Stuart
Honeyball was fascinated by a demonstration of RANDOM DOT STEROGRAMS by
Herb Schaaf of the CATS group. (Editor's Note: look for Herb's RDS in this issue.)
It's nearly impossible to name all those who attended and helped make "MIRACLE in
NEWPORT" the success it was, but in particular we would like to single out three user
groups who were very well represented; CATS from the Washington DC area, LIST from
the New York-Long Island area, and NESQLUG from the Boston area.
Our SPECIAL THANKS go to the NESQLUG group who provided and served
refreshments that made even the "Coffee Break" an event to remember.
Rather than continue on and on we'll let others write about "MIRACLE in NEWPORT".
Included in this issue is a pictorial view of the get-to-gether, hoping the old addage of a
picture being worth a thousand words is true.
So many of our readers have either called or wrote expressing regrets on not being able
to attend on such short notice. The response to "MIRACLE in NEWPORT" was so
overwhelming that we're already talking about next year and hope to have more
information available by the end of the year. At present we are looking at mid-May 1994
with the location being either INDIANA, the WASHINGTON DC area, or again in
NEWPORT.
NJ ou don t need a τος
TO идр
n < ә E>
SOFT V ARE
You NEED
«GS
MIRACLE in NEWPORT - AN ENGLISHMAN’S VIEW
London, GREAT BRITAIN - Tony Firshman (TF SERVICES)
When I heard that Bob Dyl was organising a QL event in Newport, it seemed heaven
sent, as I had just given up in the infamous free’ Hoover tickets! (Editor's Note: Hoover
had a promotion that offered free airline tickets if you purchased one of their appliances,
it ended up badly.) There also appeared to be a cut-price ticket war going on at the same
time. So when Stuart Honeyball (Miracle Systems) said how about going, what other
answer could I give.
We both booked with Virgin Atlantic (of course), and decided to come for five days so
we could see more than just the show.
This was the first trip for both of us, and I certainly had many pre-conceived ideas about
the 'states' We were met by Dick Taylor and Bob Dyl at the International Airport in
Boston, and left in the middle of rush hour traffic. Almost the first experience was the
sound of a thin guy in a vast truck yelling "out of the way a***ole" to two nice old ladies
in an enormous car. We were then stuck in a noisy underground Boston traffic jam. It
seemed my notions of the states were to be proved right
HOW WRONG I WAS. Once we arrived in Newport, the politeness and friendliness of
everyone was quite incredible. We were completely thrown by a very effusive welcome
by a hotel receptionist, as if we were old friends. "You must think we're someone else’ we
said dumbfounded. A very civilised and educated barman took a great deal of trouble
directing us to a place to eat. Traffic stopped to wave us rare pedestrians across the road.
Cars passed well over to the left while we were cycling. Cars drove slowly. The air was
clean. "Nice to hear voices from the old country' from a stranger on the train. All the
(wooden) houses appeared to have acres of ground, no fences, and were very
picturesque... and so on.
It was a great shock to return to the old smelly noisy rude London in a heat wave, it made
me feel чег glad that I'm moving out in six weeks to a more civilised Ascot. I guess New
York would be something else, but we do not hear about the civilised USA we found in
Newport.
We had a great holiday, and saw a great deal of Newport and the surrounding area, we
even had the oppotunity to visit Cape Cod (our thanks to Sherm Waterman for his guided
tour). We ate plentiful and very cheaply, and drank a great deal of Bud Lite!
Oh yes - the show! Bob was clearly quite concerned that everything would happen and
people would come on the day - he had nothing to worry about. He produced very
professional price lists and special T-Shirts for us all, and over 55 people turned up.
Stuart Honeyball started sales of the QXL card for the PC. Software for it arrived hot
from Tony Tebby in France via modem and it was quite something to see the familiar old
QL mode 4 screens on Dick Taylor’s modern PC. This card gives a QL with up to 8mb of
ram and is at least 5 times faster than a QL with Gold Card.
Bill Richardson (EEC) who arrived a few days earlier than we did, was selling his usual
range of hardware, including Faulkenberg harddick and keyboard interfaces. Bill also
announced that he had negotiated the restart of production of QL keyboard membranes.
M. I. N. - ΑΝ ENGLISHMAN’S VIEW - (CONT'D)
Tony Firshman (me) using yet another machine loaned by Dick Taylor, launched version
1.97 of the Minerva ROM which now has built-in multibasic. It allows (with Hermes)
split output and input baud rates for use with serial mouse (from EEC), and for the first
time anywhere, we showed our analogue and parallel interfaces for use with the MK II
Minerva’s I2C bus. Also on display and selling well was Hermes, the working IPC that
replaces the QL’s bugged 8049. It allows reliable serial transfers up to 19200 bps and
eliminates keybounce.
There were also traders from the states. My apologies for not mentioning them by name
but we were so busy all day that I didn’t have a chance to follow their dealings!
It was a very worthwhile trip in many ways, for us old country types. Both Bob and Dick
spent most of their time, it seemed, ferrying us about. We will certainly visit again and
cannot thank our American friends too much for their welcome.
powerful, programmable database
both memory and disk based files
LINEdesign
the one and only vector drawing program
just look at this advertisement
For more information just write, phone or fax
All our software is also available from :
Dilwyn Jones, Software87 or Jochen Merz
REVIEW OF IMAGE PROCESSOR 2 DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
Shelby Township, Michigan, USA - John J. Impellizzeri
Image Processor 2 from Dilwyn Jones Computing is a powerful program to aid in editing
or creating QL screen pictures. It includes handy and powerful utilities such as
converting from one screen mode to another, removing color, changing one color to
another, adding text, enhancing images, block and window handling and the ability to
zoom in on and edit a specific part of a screen.
Image Processor (IP) needs a QL with at least 512K of RAM and a floppy drive. It will
work with or without a Gold Card. No toolkit extras are needed, however it can use the
Toolkit 2 defaults if you have TK2. IP comes with an excellent 28 page manual. This
manual states that the program will work on JM, JS and Minerva 1.92 ROM's. I can
report that it also works on an MG ROM and Minerva 1.97. IP is a Qliberator compiled
program. The disk includes the needed runtime extensions if you don't have them loaded
already, and multitasks well All functions can be accessed from the keyboard, although
a joystick or mouse can be used.
IP has a built in help facility to assist the user. Just press F1 and up pops a help screen
with text pertaining to the function you just selected. This works similar to the help in
the Psion software; if you ask for help at the main menu, it offers a list of the available
functions, if you ask for help after selecting a function it gives specific assistance for that
function. The help is also configurable. As delivered, whenever you select an item from
the menu, a help screen will appear to guide you. This is handy when you are first
learning the program. Once you are familiar with the program, this gets annoying and
slows you down, so IP allows you to turn off this automatic help. Help is still available if
you need it. While this online assistance is great, it doesn't replace the manual. I would
still recommend reading the manual to get a feel for all IP can do.
I mentioned that the help was configurable. Many parts of IP are configurable. After
you've used the program awhile and find your always changing IP's built in defaults, you
can configure the program so it starts up just the way you want it.
A very nice part of IP is that if you use any function that would permanently alter the
screen, the change is made on a temporary basis and you are given the chance to see how
it looks and a choice to keep it or go back to what you had. This is very good in case you
make an ’oops’. It's still a wise idea to save your work in progress regularly and maybe
keep a few older versions just in case.
Memory permitting, you can have up to 9 screens loaded at once and can easily switch
between them. IP allows you to copy screens, merge them, or do cut & paste type block
moves between screens.
All of IP's functions can be used in either of the QL's screen modes. IP can also convert
a screen from one mode to the other. Depending on the picture this sometimes looks OK
and sometimes it doesn’t. However with all of the editing functions available it can be
made to look reasonable if you have to have a screen in a specific mode. IP also lets you
switch the screen mode without changing the picture. There is an Unflash function to
tidy things up if you load a mode 4 screen with the QL in mode 8. The program can save
and load standard QL screen files. In addition, it can save and load compressed screens in
its own format and one compatible with The Painter and The Clipart programs from
PROGS. It can also load compressed screens from Digital Precision's Eye-Q.
IMAGE PROCESSOR 2 - (CONT'D)
No screen image utility would be complete without text and graphics drawing facilities.
IP has both, allowing many types of graphic shapes such as circles, rectangles, arcs,
polygons and lines to be 'drawn' on the screen, moved around, and sizes & colors
changed. Shapes can be filled with a color, and there is a paint brush option with an
adjustable size brush to paint an area free hand. A ’spray’ function is also available to
tone an area with a color similar to using an airbrush. You can specify the size of the
area, the color, and the density. Text can be added anywhere. Many options exist for
text. Various sizes, ink and paper colors, and fonts can be used. IP comes with 22 fonts
on disk and it can use almost any standard QL font from other packages like Lightning or
desktop publishing programs. A handy feature is the ability to specify the OVER value.
This works like the OVER function in SuperBASIC. It determines whether text entered
will be placed using the ink and paper colors, or superimposed or blended in to the
image. Experimentation is best here to see the different effects, and this is easy and
painless with IP's confirmation option.
I've left a few of IP's most powerful functions for last. Enhance will attempt to clean up
any graininess or random dots in a picture. The manual states that it is best used on a
digitized picture to clean up any noise signals introduced during the digitization. 1t also
says it is not too effective on hand drawn, dark, or smoothly colored pictures. Like most
of the other functions it has an undo option so experimentation is worth a try. If the
result doesn't please you it'S easy to undo. Outline will generate a white on black
cartoon-like outline of a picture. It works best if there are only solid colors in the picture.
Stippled colors can confuse it. Since it also has an undo option, it won't hurt to try it and
if it doesn't give the results you want, you can always undo it and re-edit the picture and
try again. Both enhance and outline work quite fast considering what they accomplish.
The content of the picture does seem to have an affect on the speed, but each function
took less than 20 seconds to do the whole screen on a Gold Card machine.
IP has a windowing facility. This lets you process only a portion of a screen leaving the
rest of it untouched. The size of the window is adjustable from practically pixel size up to
the size of the screen. Almost all of IP's functions are available in this facility in addition
to a few new ones. You can decolor, recolor, outline, enhance, mirror the image
vertically or horizontally, pan and scroll and invert black and white. All of these also
have an undo option.
The zoom and edit function lets you zero in on a section of the screen and edit it on a
larger scale. Each pixel is blown up to 4 times its normal size. You can then set
individual pixels in any color or draw pixel sized lines in any color. While in this mode
you can pan and scroll to other parts of the screen. This makes working on detailed parts
of the picture much easier. As usual there is an undo option.
Finally, once you have your masterpiece completed, it can be saved so that it can be used
in another program or you can print it directly to a printer if desired. IP has support for
three types of printers plus a facility to use your own external printer driver. Details for
writing a custom driver are supplied. IP can print to Epson compatible 9 and 24 pin
printers and a Hewlett Packard Deskjet 500. The HP driver works in HP mode so you
don't need to use an emulation cartridge. There are options to each type of printer. You
can specify a mono or shaded printout and you have the option of inverting black and
IMAGE PROCESSOR 2 - (CONT’D)
white for printing The Epson type options also let you specify the number of passes of
the printhead per line. The built in drivers are configurable as far as the codes required
by your printer to tell it what type of graphic printing to do.
Image Processor 2 is a very powerful, easy to use program to handle QL screen pictures.
It has a wide range of features and is very user friendly. Buy it.
(Editor's Note: IMAGE PROCESSOR 2 can be obtained directly from DJC (please see
Dilwyn's adverts in this issue) or from any QL dealer worldwide who carries DIC
software.)
NEWS FROM DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
DJC has extented its already wide range of QL software by reaching agreement with
some of the authors of the commercial software formerly published by CGH Services
(CGH stopped trading at the end of March 1993). The following seven programs have
been re-launched by DJC: SQUIDGY ROUND THE WORLD, OPEN GOLF, GREY
WOLF, QUICK MANDELBROT III, SToQL, QUIZ MASTER II and 5 GAME PAC.
In addition to the above DJC has launched a much asked-for utility program to print
wide spreadsheets and text files sideways in landscape print on 9 and 24 pin dot matrix
printers The program is titled SIDEWRITER and the cost is a mere £15.
pl u s4 QL Wordprocessing at its Best
IMPROVING YOUR PRINTING: Option 1
New printers using twenty-four pin, bubblejet, inkjet or laser technologies offer very fast output of the highest quality. They feature multiple proportionalty
spaced founts in different sizes. They allow precision adjustment of spacing between words and between lines.
On the QL, only plus4 with its dedicated printer drivers is capable of utilising these advanced features. We mean utilising, not playing with. We mean the
abitity to calculate automatically the number of words that fit within the margins, justifying with proportionally spaced founts as weil as typewriter style fixed
pitch. And the facility to vary line-spacing in different parts of the text with automatic calculation of page breaks. Plus page layouts with multiple cotumns,
with equat or unequal widths.
plus4 and its printer drivers put all these features at you fingertips. Select the appropriate driver once and forget about control codes, translation of
accented characters, counting the lines to fit the page. calculating the number of characters that fit within the margins--all the tedium that is part and parcel
of wordprocessing with other programs.
IMPROVING YOUR PRINTING: Option 2
You may already own a 9 pin dot-matrix or daisywheel printer. Upgrade it with plus4! We have written forty dedicated printer drivers for those old
favourites. Although not in the same league as far as output quality and speed are concerned, they share some of the features of modern printers. plus4
brings out the best those printers are capable of.
IMPROVING YOUR PRINTING: Option 3
plus4 drivers mentioned so far are text-mode drivers which print at the fastest possible speed: up to several pages per minute with fast printers. We were
not talking about graphic mode printing which is not of the same quality and is hampered by the serial port bottleneck {it can take several minutes per page
even with the Gold Card). Nonetheless, we also offer plus4 users a graphic mode driver for dot-matrix printers: fountext88. Up to 32 bit-mapped founts
can be loaded with fountext88 and used freely in your texts. It typically takes less than 4 minutes to print a full page which is very fast by QL standards
founted89 allows you to modify the founts or design your own
plus requires disk drive and 256 K memory. Leaflet with list of supported printers available on request.
text87plus4 £79
2488 (drivers required for 24-pin and bubblejets) £19
typeset90-deskjet (drivers required for al! HP Deskjets) £19
typeset90-Epson (drivers required for Epson Lasers) £39
fountext88 * founted89 (optional dot-matrix graphic driver) £39
Software87, 33 Savernake Road, London NW3 2JU
16MHZ 68000
HIGH SPEED
PROCESSOR
2M BYTE
RAM
м... SCOOOF WIG
El
QENVS2«3.
[ITTTTITEPITI
CUSTOM
LOGIC
CHIP
DD, HD, ED,
DISK
INTERFACE
OPTIME.
weg
BATTERY
BACKED
CLOCK
δώ he bi) o
i
QL GOLD CARD
£225 inc. (£200 outside EC)
This is the expansion that has been revolutionising the QL. It is very easy to fit -
it simply plugs into the expansion port at the left hand of the QL - and once fitted
it will instantly increase the execution speed of the QL by about 4 times due to
the presence of a 16MHz 68000 on board. There is 2M of fast 16 bit RAM of
which QDOS sees a contiguous 1920K. The remainder is used for shadowing
the QL's ROM and display memory and for the GOLD CARD's own code.
There is a disk interface which can access 3 mechanisms (4 with the DISK
ADAPTER) of 3 different densities, DD (double density, 720K), HD (high density.
1.44M) and ED (extra high density, 3.2M) in any mix. The disk interface
connector is the same type that was fitted to the TRUMP CARD so most QL
compatible disk drives can be used. Please note that DD drives still give a
Capacity of 720K per diskette. Our DUAL ED DISK DRIVE allows the GOLD
CARD to access DD. HD and ED diskettes.
Another feature is the battery backed clock. When the QL is switched on the
contents of the clock are copied into the QU's clock so that the time and date are
correct. The firmware in the ROM gives the GOLD CARD ali the functionality of
the TRUMP CARD like TOOLKIT II and there is a sub-directory system for
floppy and RAM disks.
Physically the GOLD CARD is about half the size of the TRUMP CARD and so
fits almost all within the QL. Its current consumption is well under the allowable
Maximum so no special power supply is required. The GOLD CARD comes with
a 14 day money back guarantee and a 2 year warranty
MIRACLE
THE QXL
The QXL turns the common PC into a QL compatible. The package comprises a half
card that plugs into an 8 or 16 bit standard ISA slot and a diskette loaded with a QDOS
compatible operating system and a Superbasic compatible interpreter. After installation
Simply type QXL and the PC will appear to be a QL allowing QL programs to be run from
QL format diskettes.
The card itself has a 32 bit 66EC040 processor running at 20MHz which gives a good
turn of speed. This processor has access to its own RAM and so performance is virtually
independent of the host PC whether it has an 8088 or a Pentium. In fact the PC is used
purely as an I/O system giving QL programs access to the PC's floppy disc, hard disc,
keyboard, display, serial and parallel ports. The card itself has QL style network ports to
allow connection to a QL network. The minimum PC specification required is an XT with
EGA display and a spare standard slot.
Varying RAM sizes from 1M up to 8M can be supplied. The smaller capacities can be
upgraded to the larger ones and the cost is simply the price difference. Not all the RAM
is available to the user programs; the 1M equates roughly with a TRUMP CARD QL
memory size and the 2M with a GOLD CARD QL.
During the lifetime of the QXL we intend to enhance the software to make use of the new
hardware facilities of the PC such as SVGA graphics. As has been our policy with the
TRUMP CARD and GOLD CARD we intend to provide software upgrades free of charge.
SYSTEMS
QXL prices
1M £295 (£255)
2M £325 (£280)
5M £410 (£355)
8M £495 (£430)
(prices in brackets for outside EC)
See the QXL at the Eurovolley Centre,
Beneluxlaan, Vilvoorde, Brussels, Belgium
on Saturday 17 July 1993. Entry Free.
INTERNATIONAL QL REPORT (IQLR) is a regular magazine that all QL
users should read. It has articles for the beginner, the advanced user and
every one else in between. Also, the international flavour combined with
low advertising rates makes it probably the best place to locate QL related
items. IQLR is run by QL enthusiasts whose proud boast is that they have
never been late with an issue. If you do not already get it then ‘phone us
now. One year’s subscription for 6 issues to any European address is
£22.00 and it’s worth every penny. Subscribers „е.
elsewhere should contact SeaCoast Services, TR
15 Kilburn Court, Newport, RI 02840, U.S.A. direct. mamam |
QL SHOW SPONSORED BY MIRACLE SYSTEMS
Tel: (0904) 423986
To place an order by phone
please have your credit card
ready. For customers outside
the EC we charge the prices
shown in brackets.
To order by post, please fillin ¥ Expires _
the form opposite or write to
us quoting your credit card
number and expiry date, or
enclosing a cheque payable to
MIRACLE SYSTEMS Ltd.
2
To: MIRACLE SYSTEMS Ltd, 25 Broughton Way, Osbaldwick,
York, YO1 3BG, U.K. Tel: (0904) 423986
Please send me
| enclose a cheque to the value of: £
Н |
1 1
i 1
' |
1 I
1 I
I 1
| Me vaus. Ξ ee
! Or debit creditcard 1.1 (o lll diii !
І I
aE |
i Name Signature |
| Address |
Ergon Development une 1295 price ist
Davide Santachiara, Via Emilio De Marchi 2, 42100 Reggio Emilia, Italy
All the prices are given in ITL (alian lira). To send о foreign currency cheque use current conversion rates (eg 1.000 ITL-0.44£- 1.08
OM=0.63$ - ask your bank as these values may change) but remember to add 10.000 ITL to cover our bank conversion charges.
ZM/x system plus-2: spectrum 48K emuictors. This package comprises ΖΜ/2, ΖΜ/3, BACKUPPERS, ZM/ACCESSORIES (ZM/DISK
UTILITIES + ZM/DIGINET) and ZM/CONFIGURATOR. ZM/2 & 2М/3 are sold together as they are complementary. 2М/2 is an emulator
and is the most compatible while ZM/3 is a threaded code complier so ZX games run faster. Specifications: Fast emulation (2M/3: 50/
80% ZX speed on a Gold Card); Smooth sprites movement: True ZX sound through network port; >99% Compatibility on 24/2 (over
300 games tested); Interface 1 emulation (on ZM/2). The supervisor offers you: True ZXQL tapefiles managing; 280 Monitor facilities;
280 snapshot load/save and a iot more. The price comprises one 3.5* disk, 46 pages manual, ΖΜ/2. ZM/3, ΖΧ & QL programs to
transter your ZX programs into the QL via net or ser port (BACKUPPERS - QL <-> ZX IF-1 serlai cable is ovallable tor 20000 TTD, conversion
utilities for Plus-D. Disciple or Opus Discovery disks ZM/DISK UTILITIES) ond a utility to read and convert directly ZX tapes trom the
network port (ZM/DIGINET v3 works on any QL hardware with fast ram: GC/TC/Expanderam). The ZM/x system costs 60000 ITL
ZM/hT system: Advanced Spectrum 48k emulator. The ZM/hT system comprises the full 2M/x system (as explained before) pius the
new 280 compiler ZM/hT (high technology). ZM/hT converts dinamically 280 code into fast 68000 machine code! tt offers you many
options to optimise the code produced (speed, compatiblity, screen redrawing smoothness...). With ZM/hT you can play games on o
16 MHz Gold Card at a speed very similar to o real Spectrum (70% to 130%). Amazingly compatiblity is now >99%, like ΖΜ/2. ZM/hT
now works even on 640 Kb QL or Irump-Card Οἱ with interesting speed results (30/50% with some games). ἀ... really spectacular ...
Ergon have made a highly professional product, well worth the price” IQLR Vol 3 n.) - ‘ZM/hT is tast ... well worth ће extra cost... an
incredible feat of computer science" Simon Goodwin QLWorld 4/93. The ΖΜ/ΠΙ system (ZM/2,3,hT + utilities) costs 90000 ITL.
NEW ZM/128: Spectrum 48k / 128k emulato:. New supervisor (similar to ZM/hT); f supports Interface 1 emulation, joystick emulation,
ond the new 280 v2.0 48k/128k snapshot forma’. Disciple 128k Snapshot converter included. Amazingly speed in 128k mode is simllar
{though slightly slower) than in 48k mode thanks to a very clever 16k memory bank switching implementation. FOR i=} TO 200:PRINT |;
"NEXT lis performed in 13s on a Gold Card. ZM/128 can be bought іп addition with ZM/x or ZM/hT system for an additional 20000 ITL.
NEW Ergon Floppy disk utilities: it comprises many useful tools for Double Density (720 Kb). High Density (1.44 Mb) and Extra
Density (3.2 MD) QL о: alien disks. You get 1) а fast and powerful DISK EDITOR with many functions: Search, Edit. Collect. Recover
corrupted files (even if tne directory and/or sector map is corrupted? - 2) An Intelligent disk copier/verifier which can work even with
o single disk drive system (single or rnuttiple copies ore allowed) - 3) Much more... Ergon FLP disk utilities costs only 3500011111
MasterBasic plus-1: The uttimote tool tor tne SuperBasic programmer. It allows you to speed-up drastically the construction/
oepugging of your programs. Search and reterence any variabie. tokens combination. string, FOR and SELect loop. procedure,
function, on the whole program or only inside selected routines; join lines, view return stack ... You see in o pop-up “Une Menu’ all the
referenced lines and the number of occurences in each line. Then you can еді or list the desired lines with a simple keypress.
MasterBasic is fully compatible with Minerva integer tokens and MultiBasics. Now configurable with auto-sleep option under PE.
MosterBasic costs 45.000 ITL with >30 pages manual. The package is extremely easy to use and well thought out, and even the more
casual SuperBasic programmer should get a lot of use out of It" QLWorld 6/92 - “Elegant and useful" Simon Goodwin Ql World 4/93
QLibrary Manager: Not с simple library manager but o clever SuperBasic source code extractor/manipulator. Do you need a
routine from o SuperBasic program written some time ago? QLM will extract It for you. just tell him what you need. Very powerful and
professional. ӨЕМ costs 40.000 ITL with >20 pages manual. “Overall the package is useful for SB authors and should enable new
Basic programs to be created quickly, using experience and routines already created for earlier programs..." QLWorld 8/91
DEAssembler v5 NEW plus-2: DEA is the cheapest but also the most powerful INTELLIGENT disossembler for the QL Just load the
Gesired fie and DEA wili do ol! the work. It usually disassemble >95% of ony program without user Intervention, saving you HOURS of
monuol work! It can extract AUTOMATICALLY Toolkff commands reaay to pe re-assembled. Multi data-types are recognised with
automatic selection, providing auto-recognition of SB extensions, ROM headers, strings, QDOS - SMS - ΡΕ - WMAN calls, Config tables
and Things extensions. DEA has knowledge of the structure of parameters passed to the most important o/s calls. This improves the
aegree of automatic decoding. ond makes generated source code quatity ana readibility really impressive. Calls to the o/s (QDOS/
SMS/PE...) and error/system-basic variables keys are reported (with QDOS or SMS notation). The output is 100% compatible with GST/
QMAC, METACOMCO, HISOFT assembiers. DEA costs 55.000 ITL with >35 pages manual. Οἱ World 4/92 sald about version 4: "This
program is certainly the most versatile machine code programming utllity | have seen on any computer to date’.
Open World: (v2.1) Graphic conversion utilities. Load into the QL GIF files (present in enormous quantity in ali of the BBS), ТЕ
(scanners), IFF (Amiga) or CUT images of any dimension. Convert them into 4, 8 colours (grey levels) or monochrome QL images (with
9 powerful dithering algorithm - great for DIP applications). Open World costs 35.000 ITL ond is supplied on two disks with some
beatiful images. o QL to PC screen converter (fie saved as GIF) and a program to read QL disks on MS-DOS v5, SUN. МАХ. UNIX...
MusicManager: (v1.2) Simple program to create and play music on the QL. Psion style operation. It costs only 20.000 ITL with 8
pages manual. "If you want to produce something of a semblance of music on the QL, then this is a useful package’ QLWortd 6/91
Please add 12.000 NL tor cirmail postage (Europe) ἃ packaging (25.000 ITL airmail p&p outside Europe). Acceptable forms of
payment are: Eurocheque in ITL: Postal order m TIL (send a copy of the receipt): Foreign currency cheaue (ie. not in ITL), please add
10.000 ITL for bank tees. Cheque payable to Davide Santachtara. Direct bank transfer to: Banco Popolare Dell’ Emilia SWIFT BPMOIT22
Sede Reggio E. CC 6533/73 D.Santachiara (add bank tees even If sending ITL) Discounts: 5.000 ITL off for any 2 progs, 10.000 П off for
3, 15.000 П. off for 4 and so on. To receive our disk with PD or demo version of our programs send 6 IRCs. This disk is realty worth
having: It contains over 1.5Mb of data in compressed form! All of our programs (except MusicManager need 512Kb expansion and
are based on our powerful Menu System ΙΙ, o QPac 2-style menu system. They are compatible with Minerva and the P.E. They are
written with clear English messages and the manuak have been improved in the UK. When ordering please state your configuration
QL-2000 TOWER CASE QL DIY-KIT
Troy, Michigan, USA - John J. Impellizzeri & Don Walterman
This kit is from Computer Technik /Jiirgen Falkenberg in Germany and lets you move
your QL into a modern mini-tower case. You gain many advantages from this move: disk
drives in the same cabinet as the computer, room for expansion cards in the same case,
stable power supply, one power switch for the system, smaller footprint and more
modern appearance. There is clearance for a ROM cartridge to be installed, although
you have to partially disassemble the PC case to install or remove it. The kit requires
some serious work on your part. The manual estimates 4 hours for installation. We found
12 hours to be more accurate at least the first time around.
г if M Р Ве prepared to do some serious
; ως soldering. While the instructions
provided basic details for mechanical
mounting of the QL components, some
ingenuity will be helpful in a successful
installation. For example, the basic kit
provides two standoffs to mount the
main board. (These are the two original
mounting holes). While this does work,
it means everytime a chip is replaced or
wa new option is added, the board will
flex. We added 7 additional standoffs
(nylon spacers) underneath the main
board. They were not attached to the
main board but just provided some
(QL with Tower Case and supplied parts) ^ support under the socketed chips.
We also decided to add some improvements along the way. This makes sense since you
bave the QL completely disassembled anyway. You might consider purchasing a spare
QL motherboard. Whole QLs are available in the U.S. for $35. This allows you to spend
time modifying the motherboard properly without preventing you from using your
system (it also provides you with a little safety margin in case you miswire the power
connections). We added the Tom Bent modifications. (If you haven't heard of these
=. . modifications and are interested
q 5 > contact IQLR). The power supply fixes
were not implemented as they are a
» moot point with the new 200 watt
& supply in the mini-tower case. The
„ instructions for converting the power
; supply to drive the QL are good except
that the wire colors supplied didn't
completely match the directions. The
directions were also vague about where
to mount the QL’s original heat sink. A
drawing would have helped. We chose
- to mount it to the bottom mounting lug
of the power supply. This caused
problems later on when two floppy
drives were replaced with a 40 MByte
(modified QL motherboard) hard disk. The hard disk was deeper
15
QL-2000 KIT - (CONT'D)
than the floppies it replaced. The power connector on the hard disk ran into the heat
sink. If we had known this in advance, we would have mounted the heat sink elsewhere.
Since the cables were already cut to length, we used a different shaped heat sink to get
some clearance.
The main problem area was the Bus-Expander. This is a 'flip-over' card that puts your
QL expansion bus cards upside-down over the QL itself. Pay attention to the instructions
on page 3. The Bus-Expander must be connected before installing the QL main board in
the case. There is not enough clearance to install the expander after the QL is mounted
in the case. The board works fine but has some serious mounting and stability problems.
No means is provided to anchor the expander to the QL or the expansion cards to the
expander. Also the expander backplane is within 1/4 inch of bare sheet metal of the case.
The manual recommends using some scotch tape but we didn’t find that an adequate
solution. What’s needed is something insulated to keep the expander board from shorting
against the metal case and also to keep the board firmly seated in to the QL. Once you
get the expander board seated and insulated you are still left with the problem of keeping
any expansion cards plugged into the board securely. Since they hang upside down over
the QL motherboard with no support any vibration could dislodge the board (witha
hard disk you will have some vibration). One possible solution is to tie wrap the DIN
connectors together. Each connector has a mounting hole on each end. These can be tie-
wrapped to the corresponding hole in the backplanes’ DIN connector. That would
prevent the boards from working loose from the backplane as well as provide some
stability. You have to be careful that any expansion boards don’t contact any
modifications such as caps, EPROM boards, QIMI etc, that may be installed on the QL.
Often these add-ons assume this space is vacant We haven’t come up with a good
solution yet but this does need to be addressed. We tried using the Bus-Expander with the
flexible ribbon cable. This can be mounted to the back of the case using standoffs. This
eliminates the chance of shorting out and makes the backplane stable. However, my
Gold Card did not work reliably off this backplane (other boards like the Cumana disk
interface, JFC hard disk interface and Miracle expanderam worked). It appears to be a
seating problem since I can get the Gold Card to work by flexing the connection on the
backplane (this Gold Card is 100% reliable when plugged into a standard QL). A little
more experimenting is needed here.
Another potential problem area is the video extension cable. The DIN 8 connector
makes a hard right angle bend as it exits the QL board. It works fine but it is a very tight
fit. In addition to extra parts listed in the kit instructions, you should add shrink wrap,
heat sink compound, RS-232 standoffs and small hardware to your parts list. Some of the
supplied hardware just did not fit well but that could be the fault of the case
manufacturer. However, the supplied adapter to mount the DB9 connector for the
joysticks doesn't fit well in the DB25 cutout. Standard adapters are available for this
application. (JDR Microdevices supplies a PC bracket with 2 DB9 cutouts for $1.95 each
part number BKT-14. JDR has no minimum order requirements.) We also added an
extension cable for the JFC Keyboard 90 interface (another very tight fit).
We had one defective part to troubleshoot Some of the coax supplied to extend the
network ports to the back of the case was defective. It probably was broken during
installation of the network ports in the rear panel The ports are located very close
together making installation difficult.
16
QL-2000 KIT - (CONT'D)
The new QL-2000 was tested with a Gold Card installed. It worked just as well as a Gold
Card on a standard QL. Now that you have the QL installed in the new case, adding any
extras like Qimi, Minerva or JFC Keyboard is much easier since there is more room and
better access to everything.
The kit does not provide for mounting
the microdrives. The instructions
describe them being available as an
optional extra. It also does not provide
a cutout for the Qimi mouse. You can
sacrifice a joystick port if you choose
or you could use a standard PC
expansion card plate and mount a
connector there (JDR part number
BKT-12 bracket with 1 DB9 cutout).
+ This kit was fun to assemble and
ГА «V. ™ produced a much cleaner QL package.
ЕЕЕ. i ME à w If you are willing to spend some time,
(completed QL-2000 DIY-KIT) do a lot of soldering and a little
problem solving, this is a very
rewarding project. The case now holds 2 floppies, a 40 MByte hard disk, JFC keyboard
interface, JFC hard disk interface, Gold Card, Minerva Mark II and power supply. Try to
put all that in the original QL! If you are interested in the kit but don't want to spend the
time or don't like to solder consider one of Compter Technik's package deals or contact
IQLR. The QL-2000 was on display at 'Miracle in Newport. It generated alot of interest.
A number of people expressed a desire for a version of the QL-2000 that contained
instructions and the necessary parts minus the case itself. This would allow people to take
advantage of whatever local specials they see.
The QL-2000 DIY Kit is available from Computer Technik/Jürgen Falkenberg
07231/81058 phone or 07231/81058 fax, or W. N. Richardson & Co. in the UK, or
Mechanical Affinity in North America. JDR Microdevices can be contacted at (800)
538-5000.
HELPFUL HINT (External Keyboard-90 Interface)
Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA - Dick Taylor
This was an idea that I hadn't considered of interest to anyone until Tony Firshman
commented on it at the "MIRACLE in NEWPORT" show. I have been using Jurgen
Falkenberg's external Keyboard-90 Interface for several years and use a QL keyboard
top that has a blank plate in place of the keys. I cut a slot in the plate for the ribbon cable
connecting the 8049 (now Hermes) chip socket and the Interface box. The problem with
this setup was that the Interface box tended to shift around during use and had a
tendency to work the 8049 chip loose in it's socket. To correct this, I stuck a small piece
of Velcro tape between the plate and the bottom of the Interface box. This not only
corrected the problem, but also allows me to move it aside when opening the QL case.
17
DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
41 BRO EMRYS,
GWYNEDD, LL57 3YT,
TELEPHONE: (0248) 354023
D
QL SOFTWARE
A SELECTION FROM OUR RANGE ΟΡ NEARLY 100 PRODUCTS FOR THE QL
NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO GIVE MUCH INFORMATION HERE HERE, SO PLEASE
ASK FOR OUR CATALOGUE (PHONE OR WRITE FOR A COPY).
EASYPTR Ш part £40.50
Simplified pointer enwroamext programming, Port 1
consists of prie editor, menu edior and superbasic
for control of menus erc in your programs.
BASYPTR Ш part 3 £20.00
Consists of Earysource өлі C &brary routines, etc.
QLIBERATOR £50.00
Superb superbasic compiler, compiles virtually all of.
basic plus топ toolkit commands, ας Produce
faster mukiasking code from your basic programs.
Compile resident extentions, use overlays, etc with
the latest V3.36. Can be mouse controlled. Expanded
memory required.
BUDGET QLIBERATOR £25.00
superbasic
bur without some of the edditional facilitas of th
Jul version. Not mouse controlled. Works on
wnexpanáed QL wo.
DJTOOLKIT £10.00
Compac toolkis ef BASIC extensions, ideal for use
with QLiberaor. Really useful programming
commands, сал be distributed with your compiled
programs if you with, Ar this price, a bargain!
Suitable for unexpanded QL.
LINBDESIGN
Supplied with huge range of fonts and clipart
TEN disks! The more memory your system haz,
beer! Available on disk saly,
conirolled (including SERmouse).
DATA DESIGN 3 £60.00
Superb, fast poixter driven database with fros form
field serucrures, with the opcion of disk based for
darge files (f required, or smaller filer com be kapt in
memory for speed. You do net have το be able to
program this version, bus (f you odd the АР!
QPAC2 £39.95
Толу Tebby's superb pointer environment package.
In addition to the pointer emiroament
QPAC! £19.95
ideal companion to QPAC2, consim; of smal
écorisory programs such «x calculator, calendar,
ies
included. Can be used with or without (РАС!
Expanded memory required, disk only.
ΟΤΥΡ2 £29.95
Tomy Tebby's spelling checker program. Check
PHIL as you type OR check aising für
rezirozpectively. User interface allows you to write.
programs which use the dictionary facilities. English,
Preach and German dictionaries inciuded!
DISA 129.00
Interactive pointer driven тасым
disasxsembler, 256k ram mix. Disk only.
МЕСАТОО КІТ
EPROM VERSION
Large юойш with over 200 BASIC extensions,
suitable for use with QLiberator er Turbo. Мону
examples supplied, exremsive manual Suitable for
unexpanded QL.
DISCOVER £20.00
The painiezs way to move fies from QL το PC ond
wor versa. Аз simple as copying filer berween two
disks. 256k ram min., disk only.
MULTI DISCOVER £30.00
im addition t Discover facilities, abo comaias
CPM, Unis CPIO, BBC micro and now Spearum
end SAM Coupe file transfer capability. 256k min.
ram, disk only.
TEXTIDY £15.00
Anun Discover with conversion of tex füer by
ripping out control codes, etc. 256k ram min.
CONVBRT-PCX £10.00
Used with Discover, allows transfer of bit mapped
PC сірот graphics in PCX format (a common PC
Ак formar) to QL screens or Page Designer pages.
256k rum, disk only.
QL-PC FILESERVER £24.50
Link α PC and a QL wa a serial port cable and use
this sofrware to enable the rwo to communicate - the
QL can saw ks files on в PC's disk systems and.
primi so the PC's serial port using normal basic
commands Äke COPY. Works on unexpauded QL.
BANTBR 125.00
Simple so изе banner maker which uses outline fosti
fer good quality large text. Prints sideways acon up
59 4 sheets of paper. Simpie to use, menu driven, en
creen preview before priming, atc. Suits топ Epson
compatible printers,
REAT
TAL-Y-BONT, BANGOR
BRITAIN
IMAGB PROCESSOR 2 £15.00
Базу ю use graphics synem, fearurimp usual
graphics facil pixel wom editing, image
euhoncement, mode conversion exc. 512k, disk only.
SCREEN COMPRESSION £10.00
Reduce the атошш of storage required by graphic
on disk or microdrive - supports several QL formats.
256k. disk only.
SCREBN DAZZLER £15.00
Unlike the usual screen savers, which simply rura off
the display when the keyboard Ü not used for a
while, thi one cam aciwwe various graphical!
displays αν provide an artracive means of preventing
screen burn-in, more Eke the screen savers ол other.
computers, lf you have e compiler, you can even
write your own savers by following the instructions
An the manual Pointer environment com раб.
SCANNED CLIPART 1 £10.00
NEW! A disk full of compressed scanned pictures
(decompression program supplied of course) which
can be used in most QL programs (DTP, graphics,
ac). Assorted collection, containing many pictures
you may not find in other collections. Large number
ә] picrures, а bargain at 1kiz price, 128k, disk only.
PRINTERMASTER £20.00
Select primer control codes quickly and simply from
а menu ю мї fonts, page lengths, etc before prinzing
from programs Eke Quill, arc. 128k, diskimdy
SHREMOUSE £40.00
Abia Hesir’: serial mouse driver rynem for the
QL ü now available from DIC complete with a QL
муш matching block mous with 9 ріл serial
connector and UK style serial роп adaptor lead.
Version 3 driver software. Can now work with The
Pointer тоо. NB POSTAGE CHARGES BELOW
SIDEWRITER £15.00
Print wide spreadsheets or plain text files sideways
using a choice of character sites (down to very small
characters) on с 9 pin or 24 pin dot matrix printer.
Program can be pointer driven (expanded memory
required) or used without pointer on unexpanded
QL. We've had many requests for such а program,
here it is ot lau | Available on disk or microdrive.
SQUIDQY ROUND THE WORLD4£12.50
An arcade game, ideal for the young at heart! 128k
SUPPLIES
FLOPPY DISKS
DSHD DISKS
MICRODRIVES
DISK LABELS
Oa printer roit
ADDRESS LABELS
MDV LABELS
MOUSE MATS
Disk box dividers
iz stock ence more!
~ buy 2 programs, cim 5% off eack, buy 3 or more, ciais 10% eff sach program. Offer apples ю sofreare only. POSTAGE - Software ix sexi
post free so UK addresses, Overseas please add £1.00 per program for
(maximum £3.00). Floppy disks and serial mouse - edd postage of (2.50 Label [mouse
рона
mats - add postage ef £0.50 perisem if only buying these. PAYMENT - іа UK currency (pounds mering) only pises. Payment by choque, Eurocheque, Postal Order,
cash (send by regimared ром), or by credit card (Visa! Access! Mausercard | Κιωοοαπὰ! Connect), In cape af dtfficuky consect us first so arrange a payment mathod if.
mone af these із possible for you. Plane make cheques, etc payabiz to DILWYN JONES COMPUTING (nat te suy other name or abbreviation pleas, sur bank
proferi it thas way I). lf sosai order value is lass sham £3.00, odd £1.00 vo аі or we'E make a loss due to high bank charges,
DILWYN JONES COMPUTING
41 BRO EMRYS, TAL-Y-BONT, BANGOR
GWYNEDD, LL57 3YT, GREAT BRITAIN
TELEPHONE: (0248) 354023
FLEET TACTICAL COMMAND I1£39.95
QL SOFTWARE
A SELECTION FROM OUR RANGE OF NEARLY 100 PRODUCTS FOR THE QL
NOT ENOUGH ROOM TOGIVB MUCH INFORMATION HERE yo SO PLEASE
QTOP £29.93
PRINTERMASTER £20.00
ΗΟΜΕ RUDGET £2000
5-GAMES$ PACK
5 thinking’ games in one bargaix pack. 128k
OPEN GOLF £1250
Golf playing simularion, with choice of 50 course
sack of 18 holes. Score table fearure, choice of clubs
used, shot strengths, wind, rough, bunkers, etc. 384k
memory required, bezî used with а colour monitor.
Disk олу.
GREY WOLF #1250
Submarine warfare simulation, where you are the
commander of а submarine ія. the Atlantic, an
exercice ін игшеру for ensertainmens purposes, 384k
RAM, 85 column monitor required. Disk only.
QUICK MANDELBROT Ш £15.00
Fractal graphic, mandelbra set, Julia set, screen
dump faciity, use mode 4 or mode ё to generate
screens, background calculation option, save and
load screens (of course), car optionally use Binary
Decomposition Method for plotting, Magnify
options. Works on 128k QL, disk or microdrive.
SToQL £12.50
Atari ST screen transfer program for use with
Discover, Converts Neochrome or Degas (all three
resolutions in pilpil or pi3 format). 256k RAM,
disk only.
QUIZ MASTER II £12.50
Similar to quiz game machines found in pubs and
clubs, colourful, 2 sexs of questions supplied, you can
make up your own for use with this program. 128k
RAM, disk or microdrive.
OTHER SOFTWARE
FOR DETAILS, SEE PREVIOUS ADVERTS
QLOAD aad QREF £15.00
S EDIT £20.00
BASIC REPORTER£10.00
OPDINTERCHANGE £15.00
LOCKSMITHE £14.95
AMATTER £14.95
LOCKSMITHE & 4MATTER TOGETHER
£23.50
Mate: To use 4Мапег, you need Locksmishe, but
4AM апат available separarely for users who already
have Locksmithe.
MDV TOOLCHEST £14.95
FILES 2 £12.00
FiLEMASTER £1200
THE COPHER £12.00
WINBACK 2
BANTER
VISION MIXER 1
VISION MIXER PLUS
PICTUREMASTERE15.00
PICTUREMASTER PLUS
THE PAINTER
THE CLIPART
QRACTAL
PD2 CLIPART
SCREEN SNATCHER
TEXT ОС GRAPHIX£20.00
TRANSU
SIDEWINDER PLUS
BIBLE TEXT DISKS
SPELLBOUND
SPELLBOUND SE
QUICK POSTERS £1000
ADDRESS BOOK А LABEL PRINTE.
£15.90
GENEALOGIST 2ND EDITION £3000
BUDGET 128K GENEALOGIST £12.00
FLASHBACK £25.00
FLASHBACK SE £40.00
DISK INDEXER
DBEASY
DBPROGS
NETWORK PROVER
SOLITAIRE
THE FUGITIVE
CRICKET SECRETARY
QUESTION MASTER
QM QUIZ1
QM 90122
QM QUIZ 3
COCETAILS WAITER
SCREEN BCONOMISER
SLOWGOLD
TASEMASTER
DISK LABELLER
THE CAT
ROB ROY PACK
MAGAZINES
We now have ix stock a kmüed number of back
issues of the QL magazines formerly published by
CGH Services amd we can aho offer individual
copies of the mew QL magazine 'QReview' (as the
title implies, based on reviews of QL products}.
Subscription details supplied with orders for any
back issues. Individual copies of QReview —
by the editor of the other magazines described bei
QReview ro be launched end of June) Fier for
£2.00 each (UK), £250 (Europe), or £3.50 (USA
and геп of world). We сал also offer arrractive deals
on complete sets of back issues of a magazine.
QL TECHNICAL REVIBW
4 nos-game review magazine, 9 issues available ar
£2.00 each (UK), £2.50 (Europe). £3.50 (USA and
ren of world).
COMPLETE SET £12.00 (UK). £16.00 (Europe).
£24.00 (USA ας).
QL ADVENTURERS FORUM
Games based magazines, 9 issues in total available
@ £1.75 each (UK), £2.25 (Europe), £3.25 (USA
ас).
QL LEISURE REVIEW
Games bated magazines, 2 issues available
a £200 each (UK), £2.50 (Europe), £3.50 (USA
ас)
COMPLETE SET ОҒ BOTH GAMES
MAGAZINES (11 ISSUES) £14.00 (UK), 2000
(Europe), £30.00 (USA ас).
PLEASE NOTE: SMALL ORDERS.
IF TOTAL COST OF ORDER 15 LESS THAN
£5.00, ADD £100 TOWARDS COST OF
SMALL ORDERS (BANK CHARGES ETC)
OR WE WILL MAKE A LOSS ONSUCH
ORDERS!
ο ΣΣ 1
EASY POINTER II- A Review ALBIN HESSLER SOFTWARE
Thetford, Norfolk, GREAT BRITAIN - W. Geraint Jones
I have of late, as anyone who reads the Quanta magazine knows, been experimenting
with the Pointer Interface, and writing about my experiences to boot. In the middle of
learning and writing about programming under pointer in assembler a package arrived
from the States containing Easy Pointer and a request to review it from that nice chap
from RI you know who I mean.
Easy pointer What is it?
The whole package consists of a very thick manual and three disks, each of which
contains one of the sections of the package. The software consists of a number of
SuperBASIC machine code extentions a number of executable pointer driven programs,
of which Easysprite, Easymenu and Easysource are the main utilities. Also included on
the disks are a number of complete examples of windows, menus and an assortment of
SuperBASIC and assembler pointer program examples along with a number of library
routines.
The purpose of the package is not, as the name implies, to make programming under the
pointer environment EASY, but EASIER, in so far as it allows the user to design the
programs windows and associated menu items in a safe user friendly environment. I say
easier rather than easy, because the hardest part of pointer interface programming is not
designing windows, sprites, loose menu items or standard menu structures, but the code
necessary to execute the options given in the menus.
It is not my intention to take the reader on a step by step 'idiots' guide of the software
and how to use it, but to give the reader a general feel for the package overall and what it
can do for you. To this end the package can be divided into five sections vis:
1) Easysprite
2) Easymenu
3) Easysource
4) the extentions and
5) the manual,
I will for simplicity discuss each section in order.
1) Easysprite
Easysprite is a utility program that allows the user to interactively generate graphic
objects. The program is obviously pointer driven and can operate in either mode 4 or 8.
The graphic objects allowed under the pointer environment can be divided into three
distinct yet related types, these being sprites, blobs, and patterns. All graphic objects are
generated as sprites and may be previewed as either static objects or pointers in the
preview window. The objects developed within Easysprite may be saved as sprites, blobs
or patterns on either an individual or a collection basis. The program also has the ability
to generate dynamic sprites. The sprites, blobs and patterns may either be generated
manually by filling in each pixel or by using the programs ability to extract a section of
the screen from a previously created screen dump. All objects created may also be
rotated in 90 degree steps and moved about the grid pixel by pixel.
The ability to generate files containing collections of sprites, blobs and patterns is
20
EASY POINTER II- (CONT'D)
particularly useful when a number of different items are to be generated in a menu
system. However, it is worth noting that the collection files cannot be loaded back into
Easysprite and as such should also be saved as separate items. It is also worth noting that
due to the nature of blobs and patterns they should also be saved as sprites, thus allowing
them to be recalled for possible future modification.
As I have already said the objects are generated as sprites, but may be saved as either a
sprite, a blob or a pattern. What then is the difference between the three types of objects.
Sprite Object
Sprites are made up of two masks the first mask, called the colour mask, defines the
colour of each individual pixel within the sprite, while the second, pattern mask, defines
the shape of the sprite by defining which pixels within the sprite are visible.
Blob Object
Blobs are made up of only one mask, this is the pattern mask and only defines the shape
of the object. As such in order for a blob to be visible it must be combined with a pattern.
The pattern to be combined with the blob must of coarse be defined separately.
Pattern Object
Patterns like blobs are made up of only one mask, in this case the colour mask which
defines the colour of all pixels within the pattern. Again in order for a pattern to be
visible it must have a blob to combine with, which is of coarse defined separately.
Combining Blobs and Patterns
When a blob is combined with a pattern a visible graphics object is created eg combining
a circle blob with a red pattern results in a red circle. Since a blob can be combined with
different patterns it is possible to display the same shape in a number of different
colours, and conversely a single pattern can be combined with different blobs, thus
enabling the shape of a graphics object to change.
Overall Impression
My overall impression of this program is that it is a very well thought out and useful
development tool, the ability to extract sections of screen images is an especially useful
facility. The functions of the program are covered in the manual, the only drawback
being a lack of worked examples, especially on the use and storage of more than one
object in the programs working area.
2) Easymenu
This program is pointer driven utility that allows the user to generate their programs
front end window, including loose menu items, information subwindows, application
subwindows and pulldown menus interactively. The program only generates the
information required to define the window, it does not generate any of the code
necessary to set up, use or manipulate any of the menu structures this is left to the user
via either his/her own assembler code or the supplied SuperBASIC extensions. While all
the graphics objects have to be generated externally, the layout of information objects,
loose menu items and the colour schemes associated with their current status are set up
within Easymenu. The program also allows the user to generate the necessary data
structures to create both static and dynamic text menus, but not to control them, this
21
EASY POINTER III - (CONT'D)
again is down to the user. What I have already said about the primary window also
applies to secondary windows used as pulldown menus by loose menu items etc.
Overall Impression
While the program is once again well thought out and a very useful utility, the same
cannot be said of corresponding section of the manual. It is somewhat unfortunate that
the manual only describes the commands available to the user, but not how to use them
to generate a window with its associated menu items etc. The program is good but
requires an inordinately high level of input by the user before any useful output can be
produced. The effort required to use this program could, and I believe should, be
reduced by the inclusion of a few extra pages in the manual describing in order the
operations required to produce an example window.
3) Easysource
This program is very much for the assembler programmer, as its soul purpose is to
dissassembie the binary code produced by Easymenu to generate standard assembler
code. The beauty of this program is that the assembler code produced is very well
commented and easily assimilated into the users code.
Overall Impression
This piece of software is the one that makes the package attractive to the assembler
programmer, as it enables the other programs to act as a proper development tool for the
program front end, markedly reducing the amount of code the programmer has to type
and debug.
4) The extensions
These are a series of SuperBASIC procedures and functions, written in machine code,
that enable the user to write pointer driven software in SuperBASIC. This has of coarse
already been done in the Pointer Toolkit, so is this a case of re-inventing the wheel. No,
its not, the purpose of these extensions is to allow the user to manipulate the menus etc.
produced by Easymenu and the pointer interface in general at a lower level than can be
achieved from the Pointer Toolkit. This is achieved by allowing the user direct access to
the Trap and Vector calls used by the assembler programmer, directly from
SuperBASIC, thus giving the user the same power as the assembler programmer from the
comparative safety of SuperBASIC.
5) The Manual
The manual supplied is not unfortunately what I would call a true manual, but a
reference source. I say this because my idea of a manual is a set of instructions that not
only tells the user how the software works, but also shows the user how to use the
software in easy to follow steps. The manual consists of three main sections, covering
Easysprite Easymenu the SuperBASIC interface, Easysource and the use of the data
structures generated by both the assembler and C programmers. While, as stated above, it
details the commands available to the user in the various software packages and the
SuperBASIC interface, it does not in my opinion go far enough in demonstrating to the
user how to use the software to generate pointer driven programs. There are plenty
of examples of what can be produced using this package on the disks supplied, but these
are finished examples, not worked examples and the manual does not show how to
generate them, but merely states that they exist.
22
EASY POINTER III - (CONT'D)
Conclusion
The package is well thought out and well designed and to my mind makes the
development of the user interface easier by allowing its appearance to be designed
interactively thus doing away with what would normally be a great deal of typing in any
language. The manual could be improved by including worked examples and explaining
exactly what is going on. The manual aside Easy pointer is a package that is of use to
anyone who is interested in pointer programming, at whatever level.
(Editor's Note: EASY POINTER is available from most major dealers worldwide or you
can order direct from : ALBIN HESSLER SOFTWARE - Im Zeilfeld 25 , D-7447
Aichtal, Germany or call 07127-56280.)
OMATHS I - A REVIEW: Part 2 of 2 DIGITAL PRECISION LTD.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA - Mel LaVerne
In Part 1 of this Review, I covered Qmaths and Qfract. In this final portion, 1 propose to
discuss the Surface Modeller, High Precision Calculator, and Mathematical
Compendium, the last being a sort of mish-mash of items that may not have fit neatly
into a previous category.
SURFACE MODELLER
This program depicts the 3-dimensional surface defined by the equation z = f(x,y) over a
rectangular grid [x1,x2] by [yl,y2] Fineness of definition is determined by the user
selected number of intervals in the x and y directions. The surface is computed only for
the selected points and linearly interpolated between points.
To visualize the surface, imagine a sphere having the above grid in its equatorial plane.
Further imagine a second plane tangent to the sphere at some latitude and longitude (the
viewing angles). Now project the surface defined by f(x,y) orthogonally onto this second
plane. This yields the surface as drawn on the screen.
User input consists of the function f(x,y), the grid size, numbers of intervals in the grid,
two viewing angles, a scaling mode, and a presentation mode.
For the scaling mode you are offered three options: 1) No scaling, i.e., the surface is
plotted as is; 2) Automatic rescaling; and 3) Scaling of the z-axis.
There are 9 presentation modes, 0 to 8. The choices range from the usual 'wire-frame'
with all lines visible to lines drawn only in the y-direction or x-direction to hidden line
elimination in black and white to hidden line elimination with color.
I find modes 2, 5, and 8 the most attractive (spectacular, even). All three modes are in
color, upper surfaces being filled green and lower surfaces, filled red. Hidden lines
and surfaces are suppressed. The modes differ only in the sets of lines drawn on the
surfaces: mode 2 draws both the constant x and constant y lines; mode 5 draws lines only
for constant y; mode 8, only for constant x.
Modes 1, 4, and 7 are similar to the above, except for lack of color. Finally, modes 0, 3,
and 6 are like 1, 4, and 7, except that hidden lines are not suppressed ("wire-frames").
23
QMATHSI Part 2 - (CONT'D)
In general, I find that "Surface Modeller" is easy to use and gives an excellent
presentation. Resolution is limited only by the imposed maximum of 40 intervals in
either direction (discovered quite by accident; no limit is mentioned in the manual).
Having said all that, I must admit to a few caveats. What the program does is not always
what the instructions say will occur.
For instance, we are told that, when the surface has been drawn, pressing F3 will allow
changing the view angles. Not so! Pressing F3 causes the prompt “Archiva donde salvar
-->" to appear (all prompts are in Spanish; more on that later) and the program waits for
a response. I interpret that to be a request for a file name for saving the picture.
Supplying a name then engenders a further prompt, "Con Datos ? (s/n)" ("with data ",
perhaps ?).
The instructions say that if your inputs "generate something impossible", you will get an
error message and be allowed to re-edit the input. Not always. For example, I set the
viewing angle theta equal to zero in the default function. This appears to be
unacceptable and I did get an error message ("Error en linea 1760"). However, the
program stubbornly refused to allow editing the offending theta, cycling through the first
line of input only (theta, of course, is in the second line). I was able to recover only with
a reset.
Finally, with respect to the prompts: the manual blithely says "it is all self evident". I
disagree.
HIGH PRECISION CALCULATOR
This section contains six programs with precisions ranging from 14 to 611 decimal digits,
specifically 14, 33, 72, 149, 303, and 611. Why would anyone want (or need) such
accuracy ? Well, I can think of several reasons.
Some numerical computing schemes require accuracy substantially exceeding the QL's
not quite 9 digit precision. One or more of the first three programs would do quite well
here in reducing roundoff error.
Public key cryptography depends for its security on the ability to handle integers in the
200 to 400 (or more) digit range.
Finally, consider poor William Shanks. In a pre-computer era, he labored for more than
twenty years, with paper and pencil, to compute Pi to 707 decimal places. Unfortunately
for him, somewhere around the 528th decimal place he made an arithmetical error,
invalidating all subsequent calculations. Using PRECISIONGI1, you can surpass his
efforts, calculating Pi to 611 digits in a little more than two minutes. What a feeling of
power !
The programs use Reverse Polish Notation, generally referred to as RPN. Anyone who
has used Hewlett-Packard calculators is already familiar with the system. RPN is also
known as parenthesis-free or postfix notation. "Postfix" simply refers to the fact that an
operation is fixed after (post) its operands. All the programs use a Last In First Out or
LIFO stack for calculation.
24
QMATHSI Part 2 - (CONT'D)
To illustrate the basic system of operation, consider the multiplication of two numbers,
say 5 and 9. In the common infix notation (the operator is fixed in between the
operands), this is written 5*9. In RPN, we would write 59 *. The stack operations would
be: 5 is pushed on the Top of Stack (TOS); 9 is pushed on TOS and in turn pushes the 5
down to Next on Stack (NOS). Next, the operator * is encountered. NOS and TOS are
extracted from the stack, the operation performed between them and the result, 45,
placed back on TOS.
Illustration of the basic operation is all very well, but how does one check the correctness
of a 611 digit product ? Just producing a 305 digit multiplicand and a 306 digit multiplier
could be a major undertaking, let alone verifying correctness of their product.
Fortunately, there is a way out. The quantity JO^n - 1 is a series of nines, n digits long
and the product of two ch numbers is easily determined. Hence, we simply use, for
the multiplicand, 10^305 - 1 and for the multiplier, 10^306 - 1. The input expression
to PRECISION611 is then: 10305 ^ 1 - 10306 ^ 1- *. The product is easily verified to
consist of 304 nines, followed by the number 89, followed by 304 zeroes, and terminated
with a single one, for a total of 611 digits.
A 610 digit product is even easier: square the quantity 10^305 - 1, as follows: input the
expression 10 305 ^ 1 - dup *. The only new item is "dup", a FORTH word meaning
duplicate TOS. As a result, 10°305 - 1 is in both TOS and NOS so that when the * is
encountered, we obtain the square. The number is like the above 611 digit number,
except that 89 is replaced by 8.
The above procedure, with appropriate values of n, was used with each of the
PRECISIONxxx programs to verify correctness. Each passed with flying colors. I
recognize that this may not be proof positive that the programs can correctly handle all
results of up to 611 digits but I’m satisfied.
The programs are obviously not limited to simple multiplications but can be used with a
host of different operators, trigonometric, algebraic, exponential and others. The
manual lists 47 operators in all.
The manual also includes a number of worked out examples and an illustration of setting
up an iteration.
MATHEMATICAL COMPENDIUM
This section appears to have been written by a number of authors who spoke neither to
each other nor to the author of these instructions. For instance, the Introduction states
"We have deliberately not used the finer features of SuperBASIC (REPeat, ...".
However, I find that, eg, "SQR PATTERN" uses REPeat..END REPeat and
"QUICKSORT" uses PROCedure, REPeat, LOCal, etc. This hardly "ensures that the
routines can be typed into humble machines (PCs)...".
Some of the problems I have encountered in the "Compendium" follow.
"SPEED ACCUR" claims five accuracy tests. However, test 3 never appears; a heading
is printed but nothing happens. We then move on to tests 4 and 5.
25
QMATHSI Part 2 - (CONT'D)
"COLLATZ HYP" cannot run as written (except for n = 2 or 3). The problem is in line
155, which reads: 155 IF N<>N*INT(N/2) THEN GO TO 150. The solution, of course,
is simply to delete line 155. But why was it there in the first place ?
"FACTORS" claims that an error message will appear if a negative number is input. Not
80; the program simply ignores the input and asks for another number. Incidentally, "just
deserts" should be "just desserts" !
"EASTER DAY" fails for any odd numbered year. Again, the problem is a bad test.
The condition "Y<>2*INT(Y/2)" occurs in line 150. Since this is true for any odd Y, the
program returns to the input line. The cure here is to change the condition to
Y<>INT(Y), which has the side benefit of error-trapping non-integer input.
"STATISTICS", if asked for mean and variance, says it returns the mean and standard
deviation. Unfortunately, variance and standard deviation are different quantities.
"SIMPLEX" cautions against entering negative or non-integer values, because "all hell
will break loose." I tried some illegal non-integer values; the program quite calmly
processed the data with no problem. In fact, the results differed little from those for the
proper integral input !
"FITANDPLOT" declares that selecting more terms than the number of data points will
(a) make the system over-determined and (b) give an error message. (a) is true enough
but (b) does not happen. I must admit, though, that the resulting polynomial is worthless
as a representation of the data !
I find the plots for "HITANDPLOT" and "FIT EXP" to be of little or no value, primarily
because of the lack of any scales on the coordinates.
It might appear from the foregoing that I consider the Compendium to be of little value.
Not so; I found the sections "SORTING" through "LINEAR SYSTEMS" to be quite
useful, as well as some parts of "ITERATION". "NUMERICAL INTEGRATION" was
of especial interest (personal preference, perhaps ?), the section on Romberg's method,
in particular.
I have checked "ROMBERG METHOD" to some extent by integrating dx /x from 1 to 2.
This should yield In 2. I obtained 0.6931472 as a result As a check, I used
"PRECISIONOI4" to get the 14-digit result 0.69314718955994, which rounds to 7 decimal
places as 0.6931472, an excellent check.
The instructions for "ROMBERG METHOD" give the impression that Romberg's
method of integration simply involves repeated trapezoidal (note: US usage; ’trapezial’
in UK usage) integration, doubling the number of intervals each time. Actually, there is
considerably more to the process. For anyone interested in what is actually going on, |
suggest perusing a book on numerical methods, such as "Applied Numerical Methods" by
Carnahan, Luther, & Wilkes, page 90 et seq.
On return home from “Miracle in Newport" (If you weren’t there, you should have been
!), I found that QL World also had a review on QMATHS. If you have access to a copy
26
QMATHSI Part2- (CONT'D)
of QLW, you might be interested in another slant on the same subject. I was puzzled by
the reviewer's reference to OMATHS Part Two"; my disk says it is Part One.
Since submitting Part One of this review, I have been playing about with Qmaths and
have come across a curious result in the manipulation of complex quantities. The Help
file on factoring says, in part, "Complex: will factorize into real and imaginary parts".
One would expect, then, that the sequence Transform; Expand; Transform; Factor;
Complex would yield a final result properly separated into real and imaginary parts.
Well, maybe.
I have so far tried factoring (a +b*i) ^п for n = 2 to 10 (Note that the expression for n =
1 is already in proper form). The "curious result" is that for n = 2,4,6,8,10, the expression
is properly separated. But, for odd n (3,5,7,9), the procedure fails ! For instance,
(a--b*i)^2 transforms to a^2 - b^2 + 2*a*b*i, asit should. But, (a+b*i)*3 transforms
to -b^3*i - 3*[a*b^2 - b*a^2*i] + a^3, correct in its way, but not properly separated.
(Editor's Note: You can read the first part of this review in our previous issue (Vol. 3,
Issue 1). In the near future look for Mel to review QMATHS II. QMATHS I and II are
available from DIGITAL PRECISION LTD, please see their adverts elsewhere in this
issue.)
GROUP BUY !!
For a limited time IQLR can offer its readers two really great specials. The first is for
TOSHIBA branded ED disks. Minimum order is 10 disks and the price includes First
Class postage in the US and Airmail postage everywhere else. :
10 TOSHIBA ED DISKS
FIRST CLASS MAIL in the US $25.00
AIRMAILED to CANADA $30.00 US
AIRMAILED to CENTRAL or SOUTH AMERICA $35.00 US
AIRMAILED to EUROPE $35.00 US or £20
AIRMAILED to the REST of the WORLD $40.00 US or £25
Multiply the number of ED disks you require in multiples of 10 by the Dollar or Pounds
Sterling amount shown. As always, we can accept £ or DM bank notes equal to the US
Dollar amount.
The second limited offer is for QL KEYBOARD MEMBRANES, these are NEW
production purchased in bulk from W. N. Richardson & Co. We only have 20 of these
left so place your order quickly. The price is $15.00 each US plus $2.90 postage and
handling. The postage remains the same if you order 1 or 5 it doesn’t change unless your
ordering from outside the US, if so add 15% to cover the additional cost. This applies to
the KEYBOARD MEMBRANES ONLY.
27
RDS (Random Dot Stereograms)
Wilmington, Delaware, USA - Herb Schaaf
Somewhere in this issue of IQLR there should be a page with lots of dots on it; dots that
seem to be arandom pattern, with a pair of small hollow boxes along one edge.
If you change your focus while looking at a RDS and allow the image processing
computer in your brain to take over, a three-dimensional effect will be seen.
Programs to generate RDS on your QL should also be somewhere in this issue. One
program is in SuperBasic and should run on any QL. Another is source code in C that
worked with the C-68 compiler version 1.05. I've tried to make both programs have
about the same “look and feel’ and you might enjoy comparing SuperBasic with C. If the
REMarks and * /comments/* are more verbose than you like just leave them out. If you
want to save screens in the SuperBasic version change lines 950 and 960 to suit your
system. There is stuff in the C program that you might want to chuck out if PBM, UNIX,
X-terminals etc. aren't of interest to you.
Some people may not be able to 'see' the RDS effect due to the way their eyes work or
because of vision problems. A quick test of your vision is to touch the tips of your index
fingers so they are pointing to each other, then hold them out at arms length in front of
you and look through them, focusing on a distant wall or the far horizon. Now spread
your arms slightly so that a 1/4" gap exists between your fingertips. Focus on the wall or
horizon and look for the illusion of a ‘little sausage’ floating in between your two
fingertips.
left hand right hand |
If you 'see' the little sausage then you should be able to see the RDS effect as well.
The 2 hollow boxes on the RDS are guides to help you get the proper de-focusing and
alignment. They are placed at the bottom edge and will 'appear' as 3 or 4 when you look
"beyond" or "half-way to’ the RDS. Make sure they are all in a line by tilting the RDS,
your head, or both. This is critical for most (but not all!) people. If you 'see' 4 guide
boxes, change your focus somehow so that the 2 in the middle merge into 1; then there
will be only 3 guide boxes. When you 'see' 3 guide boxes then lock-on to the center one
“ло ΠΑΘΗ take in the RDS, verifying from time to time that the center guide box is
still clear.
In QHJ #9 (QL Hacker's Journal June 1992) there was a article by me about RDS on
pages 5 to 11 that included several other 'shapes' to try. QHJ is distributed over the
Internet, so my write-up was picked up, passed around, and part of it was in QUANTA of
January 1993 on pages 22 to 25.
28
RDS - (CONT’D)
4^ density ? 5
lock size ? 2
38 across
128 down
3688 total
180 dots/suath
5 4 density
Elapsed time:
15 seconds
Fadius
Wigth
š δ, : š А š
Ын бөз i "са Y ΡΛ ove r^ [vt E Е > axis of rotation 2
v " ERE s. i Ae p , СЫ d . ds ^^ Xs Y, on Ζ 2
3 "а . ^t s. out ж š eet os ` ... ox ^ or None
' oe d I ος жол I ο: ` Дз ud : E
u Hu
RDEscher -SCR
RDS-(CONT'D)
The version here is an 'improvement' to my first algorithm as 1 am afflicted with
"Babbage's ailment"; thus I tweak the code, modify the design, and ‘еер on adding
creatures’. As mentioned in the original QHJ, I am especially proud of my 'Escher knot’.
Let the editor know if you are interested and I can describe some of the complicated
ways I found of doing it. With lots of memory such as Trump card or Gold Card I can
show the Escher knot spinning, revolving, tumbling in 3-space. I’ve even got two in
motion in the same space at the same time, a red one rotating on the Y axis and a green
one revolving about the X axis (or is it red on X and green on Y ?).
Try RDS on your QL and share your interesting ideas with the rest of us. 1 welcome any
thoughts you may have to enhance, improve, clarify, embellish, modify, etc. the
programs. I might have "forgotten what I was doing’ but if there are questions as to why I
did what I did the way I did ГІ try to reconstruct the crofty crime for you.
For those who are on the Internet you may want to read the newsgroup alt.3d where they
call these things SIRDS or Single Image Random Dot Stereograms.
phere
100REMark RDSphereQ bas
110 REMark H.L Schaaf June 10,1993
120 REMark ref. Mathematica Journal Winter 1991 V.1,N.3,p.69-75
130 REMark 'Random Dot Stereograms' by Dror Bar-Natan (2 Princeton
120 REMark dror@math.princeton.edu
160 REMark the following are easy enough to edit in SuperBasic
170 REMark so no ’user_input’ is provided as in the C version
180 ipl dis = -20 :REMark displacement of image plane, + is closer
190 obj dis = 10 :REMark displacement of object, - is more distant
200 iwide =360 : ihigh =240 : REMark image width and height
210 ytox = 4/3 : REMark y to x aspect ratio of QL blocks
220 swide = 60: REMark swath width
230 zscale = 8: REMark adjust for depth of Z axis
240 radius = 8*8 :REMark size of sphere
250 diam = 2*radius
260 diamsq = diam*diam
270:
280 REMark set up window 1 for RDS disptay
290 REMark window 2 for prompts and inputs
300 REMark window 0 for errors and control
310 MODE 4: CSIZE #2,1,0:CSIZE #0,0,0
320 WINDOW #1, iwide +8,256,0,0 :PAPER 0: INK 7
330 WINDOW #2,144,190,368,0 : BORDER #2,2,2
340 PAPER #2,4 : INK #2,0
350 WINDOW 40 ,144,64,368,192 :BORDER #0,2,4
360 nk = 7: REMark ink color 7 = white
310 CLS #0 : CLS #2 : CLS #1
30
RDS-(CONT'D)
390 REMark ask for density and block size
400 INPUT #2; " % density ? ";dens : density = dens/100
410 INPUT #2;"Block size ? ";bk
420:
430 REMark work out rest of factors
440 hb = bk/2: REMark half block
450 ac = swide DIV bk : REMark blocks across (columns)
460 ns = 2*ac : REMark allow for left shifts
470 dn = ihigh DIV bk : REMark blocks down (rows)
480 RANDOMISE(32000) : REMark force repeatability
490 swa_dots=INT(density*ac*dn)
500 swa_blks=ac*dn
510 REMark geometric reference coordinates for center
520 xentr = (iwide-swide) /2 : ycntr = ihigh /2
530:
540d begin = DATE : REMark start timer
550 recap : REMark remind us of the parameters
29 guide boxes : REMark help us find it
70 :
580 REMark a function to return the 3D value
590 DEFine FuNction sphere(x,y)
600 LOCal хѕ,уѕ,хх,уу
610 xs— ABS(xcntr-(x+hb))
620 ys- ABS(yentr-(y +hb))*ytox
630 xy = (xs*xs +ys*ys)
640 IF xy > diamsq
650 offset — ipl dis
660 ELSE
670 zz = diamsq-xy
680 z=SQRT(zz)
690 offset = z + obj dis
700 END IF
710 RETurn offset DIV zscale
720 END DEFine : REMark FuNction sphere(x,y)
730:
740 REMark put random dot into first swath
750 OVER 1
760 FOR i = 0 TO swa_dots
770 rdot = INT(RND (0 TO (swa_blks)))
780 ydot=bk * (rdot DIV ac)
790 xdot=bk * rdot - ydot*ac
800 BLOCK bk,bk,xdot,ydot,nk
810 REMark build remaining swaths
820 FOR j -2TOns
830 ZD = sphere(xdot,ydot)
840 xdot=swide + xdot - ZD
850 IF ((xdot + bk) > iwide) : EXIT j
860 BLOCK bk,bk,xdot,ydot,nk
870 END FOR j
880 END FORi
31
RTD - CONT'D)
890 :
900 d_end = DATE :REMark stop timer
910d lap = d end-d begin
920 PRINT #2\\" Elapsed time:"\" "d lap;" seconds"
930:
940 REMark save screen to ram or other device if you like
950 REMark SBYTES O ram2 rds scr,2^17,2^15
960 REMark PRINT #2\\" sbytes saved to" V' ram2 rds scr"
970 STOP
980:
990 REMark create guides to help get proper 'focus'
1000 DEFine PROCedure guide boxes
1010 gdlx = (iwide-swide) /2 : gdly=ihigh +6
1020 gdrx=(iwide -swide) /2 : gdry —gdly
1030 BLOCK 8,8,gdlx,gdly,nk
1040 BLOCK 44,gdix +2,2dly+2,0
1050 BLOCK 8,8,gdrx,gdry,nk
1060 BLOCK 44,gdrx +2,gdry +2,0
1070 END DEFine guide boxes
1080:
1090 DEFine PROCedure recap
1100 REMark recap
1110 PRINT #2\\" "; :UNDER #2, 1
1120 PRINT #2;"Swath Data:" : UNDER #2, 0
1130 PRINT #2;" ";ас;" across"
1140 PRINT #2;" ";dn;" down"
1150 PRINT 22;" swa blks;" total"
1160 PRINT £2;" "swa dots; dots/swath"
1170 PRINT 72; (INT(10000*swa dots/swa blks))/100;" % density"
1180 END DEFine recap
1190:
1200 REMark End of RDSphereQ bas
(Editor's Note: Due to space limitations we cannot include the 'C' listing of RDS in this
issue. If you'd like a copy of the 'C' listing, send a stamped self-addressed envelope to
IQLR.)
As this is Herb's first article for IQLR (the first of many, we hope!) we thought you'd
like to know a little of his background .
Herb Schaaf built a ZX-81 from a kit; the excitement and thrill of programming has
never stopped. He's been a member of the CATS group (Capitol Area Timex-Sinclair)
since 1984, making the monthly commute from his home in Wilmington, DE to the CATS
meeting in New Carrollton, MD; often carpooling with Tom Robbins, Bob Diggs, and
Duane Parker. While atttending "Miracle at Newport" he put his RDS on as many QL's
as he could, in addition to his own. Herb is a member of the Academy of Lifelong
Learning at the University of Delaware.
Herb's e-mail address is: hlschaaf@brahms.udel.edu
32
MIRACLE in NEWPOR T
hs 2d ο
it 1 Мы
Al Boehm of NESQLUG (foreground) OOPS! Tony Firshman caught dang-
discussing the HDD interface with ling his Minerva MK II in public.
EEC’s Bill Richardson.
EM se ES
v < ©)» BEC |
John Impellizzeri discribing to Don StuartHoneyball ( beard) holding
Walterman the size of the one that court, and discussing his new QXL
got away. card.
pul
Bill Cable (background) with Frank and Carol Davis of Update
A. Parker Lewis (left) andKenton Magazine & Mechanical Affinity
Garrett (right) in a lively conversation setting up before the show. Two of
of Bill’s new program "ΟΙ ΕΕΚ". the busiest people at the show.
MIRACLE in NEWPORT
POST SHOW DINER AT THE NEWPORT BEACH CLUB
From left to right, Mel and Eleanor From left to right, Bob Diggs and
LaVerne in deep discussion with Bob Herb Schaaf of the CATS group,
Dyl. Paul Holmgren and Frank Davis of
Mechanical Affinity.
Photography courtesy of Megan & Roy Arsenault
Will and Judy Horton from the From left to right are Bob Malloy,
NESQLUG group who were such Joe LaPunzina, and Ken Lang all
a great help during the show. from the LIST group.
SUNDRY IQLR ITEMS
We have a limited supply of "Collectors Editions"
of IQLR in the following
configurations: Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volumes 1 & 2 combined. All have heavy
laminated covers and are spiral bound. Prices are as follows:
Volume 1
$14.95 US $16.95 CANADA $18.95 BRITISH ISLES
$18.95 EUROPE $19.95 C&S AMERICA $20.95 Rest of World
Volume 2
$20.95 US $24.00 CANADA $26.00 BRITISH ISLES
$26.00 EUROPE $27.00 C&S AMERICA $30.00 Rest of World
Volume 1&2
$30.00 US $35.00 CANADA $37.00 BRITISH ISLES
$37.00 EUROPE $38.00 C&S AMERICA $42.00 Rest of World
IQLR T-SHIRTS
In the picture to the left Dick Taylor can be seen
modeling our new IQLR T-Shirt. An enlarged version
of our new logo appearing on the cover of this issue, silk
screened on a high quality American made T-Shirt . The
shirt is ASH-GREY in color with the logo in brillient
BLACK. Sizes available include Medium, Large, X-
Large, and Double X-Large. Sweatshirts will be
available in the Fall, watch for our announcement.
How can you get one ??? Well, there’s the normal
way (see prices listed below), or you can sign up two
NEW subscribers to IQLR and get one FREE. Please
note, the person applying for the FREE T-SHIRT must
send in the subscriptions themselves,not the individual
new subscribers (this promotion does not apply to other offers that exist).
$10.00 US $12.00 CANADA
$15.00 BRITISH ISLES $15.00 EUROPE
$16.00 C&S AMERICA $20.00 *R of W
ALL prices quoted above are US FUNDS with the differences due entirely to postal
rates for AIRMAIL service to the various areas of the world. As always we can accept £
or DM bank notes (currency) equivalent to the US $ amount.
HELPFUL HINT
On a trip to the local hardware store I picked up a roll of 2" wide CLEAR packaging
tape, on the attached card came a list of different uses for the tape including one that
suggested using it to protect shipping labels. You guessed it, before peeling the labels off
the protective backing, I place the clear 2" tape over the printed area and then trim off
the excess tape. Besides keeping my labels clean, it makes it easier to place the label on
the disk, because it keeps it flat, no more wrinkles.
(HOW TO KEEP DISK LABELS CLEAN)
35
MECHANICAL AFFINITY SUMMER SALE
This is our Golden Cer mi
Sale! For a limited time only,
as we made a great deal at
the recent Miracle in Ne t
Show and are passing on the
savings to you. Шћеп this
special purchase sells out we
will go back to our regular
prices for these items. This
offer expires August 15, 1993
or when supples run out, at
which time prices will revert
to normal Cthough we always
try to have some great
prices>.
ΜΙΝΕΗΝΗ МК! the ultimate ROM
ир rade for the QL plus the
MES 8049 co-processor
replacement chip Cnormally
$1855 now only $75!
MINERVA MK2 the same ВОМ
chip and board as above, but
with a battery backed clock
and RAM plus the HERMES 6849
replacement chip Cnormally
$143>
now only $1868!
GOLD CARD running at {6 mgh
and with 2 meg of memory plus
Slowgold Software to control
the speed of programs that
run too fast, for only 5368!
GOLD CARD plus both the
ΜΙΝΕΗΝΗ MKI and the HERMES
for only $396!
GOLD CARD and the HERMES for
only $375!
GOLD CARD with the MINERVA
MK2 and the HERMES for only
5426!
Ше have also added тапу пеш
products to our range of QL
hardware and software. At
this point in time we at
Mechanical Affinity feel we
have the largest range of
both hardware and software
of any dealer. Please request
a copy of our newest catalog.
To «ош you some of the пеш
products we are now carrying
in our stock, please see below.
OL CENTRONICS INTERFACE for
both SERI or SER2 to parallel
printer. Newly redesigned to
take up less room. It defaults
to 9689 baud, but is able to
switch baudrate and comes
with a 3 meter | cable. It
is available for 9M.
FALKENBERG HARD DISK DRIVE
CARD for the QL. This will
allow you to use a MFM or RULL
hard drive, upto 416 meg with
your QL. For the HOD
interface with either an MFM
or RLL controller the price is
$318. We also have available
the HOD card. controller; case
with power and 48 me
hard rive for $475. This 3
interface requires that you
have a separate BUS EXTENDER
CARD to allow you to have
more than one peripheral out
ot
the expansion slot.
üL-BUS-Driver for the Trum
Card based OL, gives you a
slot expansion board that
follows the QL standards for
expansion. This is available Tor
$75. The 2 slot version for
the Gold Card is 945.
Also new to our stock are the
following items. The longer we
do this the better we seem to
get. With the support of our
customers this is a true
statement.
MECHANICAL AFFINITY SUMMER SALE
QL KEVBORRD-38 INTERFACE now
on sale at $98. This allows you
to replace the keyboard tha
came with your QL by using an
IBM XT/AT keyboard externally.
This is great for those who
want to place their Οἱ in a
tower or desktop case, or for
those who have just gotten
tired of replacing membranes
every few years.
QUALSOFT TERMINAL SOFTWARE is
the best commercially available
terminal p am for the QL. It
comes on disk or MOV. It can
multi-task with all popular OL
front end rams, it has a
simple text editor to help with
uploads/downloads and with your
E-mail. It allows you to do
screen dumps while online, and
if you combine it with a HERMES
then you can reliably use it
with all known high speed Hays
compatible modems as well as
Tandata, etc. We have it for
only 515.
OXL CARO for the IBM. This
simple plug in card for the IBM
ard compatibles allows you to
turn a mundane IBM into a full
blown super OL. This can give
you from 1 to 8 megs of
memory, improved graphics
capability, and more speed than
the Gold Card. Call us to
discuss your needs on this and
let us work out a deal you can
be pleased with. This allows you
to Eun, ie QL card as a s le
application program on the IBM,
q Yin you fhe best of two
worlds. llle have them in stock
as of now.
Other new items we have added
to our inventory include the
following:
TEXTS? PLUS4, OL word
rocessor: 2488 DRIVERS for
tthe 24 pin printers and
bubblejets: TYPESETIO—-DESKJET
drivers for all HP deskjets:
TVPESETHG-EPSON drivers for
Epson lasers; FOUNTEHTBB +
FDUNTED84 optional dot-matrix
drivers; PLUS4 PUBLISHER Cthe
publisher pack) to allow you to
combine US+ and LINEdesi to
make the best use of text and
ος Liedesian and
Ba Adesign from PROGS are the
new top of the line vector
drawing package for the QL Ca
massive new product that
enables you to draw, print,
scale, rotate any picture or
text. and will look crisp and
shan, and the newest version
of DATAdesign Cwhich has been
completely rewritten so that
files can be disk based and
larger than available memory,
with the bonus that all files
are now multi-user).
We also now have available for
sale the latest version of
QTOP, the program that man
call the definitive front en
for all 0005 compatible
machines. It now offers an icon
based FILE-MANAGER such as is
found in Windows. We have it
for only 552.
TO ORDER FROM US SEND CHECKS,
MONEY ORDERS, CASH (foreign add
$3), or C.0.B., PAYABLE to
Frank Davis or Paul Holmgren to
MECHANICAL AFFINITY
513 EAST MAIN ST.
PERU, XN 46210
ος
MECHANICAL AFFINITY
5231 WILTON WOOD COURT
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46254
317-291-6002 PAULS PHONE
317-473-8031 FRANKS PHONE
SERMouse (Ver. 3.01) - A REVIEW ALBIN HESSLER SOFTWARE
Shelby Township, Michigan, USA - John J. Impellizzeri
SERMouse is a software driver that allows you to connect a PC type serial mouse to one
of the QL’s serial ports. No disassembly of the QL is necessary. The mouse can then be
used to control the pointer if you’re using the pointer environment allowing much easier
and faster control than the cursor keys. The mouse can also emulate the cursor keys for
programs that don’t use the pointer environment, and will also work if you don't use the
pointer environment at all, the mouse then mimics the cursor keys.
In order to connect a PC type serial mouse to the QL you must make or otherwise obtain
a simple adapter cable. Most serial mice use a female 9 or 25 pin sub-D connector and
the QL will have either a 6 pin connector (UK) or a sub-D9 type. Even if you have a 9
pin mouse and a QL with 9 pin serial ports you cannot simply use a straight through
adapter as the pinouts are different. Instructions are given on how to wire the cable,
although they can be confusing at first glance. Study them carefully and make sure you
use the proper diagram pertaining to your mouse and QL connector types. If you are
handy with a soldering iron and wire tracing you could also replace the connector on the
mouse and rewire it so it would plug directly into the QL.
Getting the right type of mouse is also important. SERMouse was designed for a 3
button PC serial mouse. It will also work with a 2 button serial mouse. You can usually
find these quite inexpensively (under $20) at local computer shows and stores. Some of
these mice will have a switch to allow them to work in two types of modes for the PC.
This switch should be in the PC or Mouse Systems mode rather than Microsoft mode.
Other mice have this same switching done by software. Try and avoid these types,
although the instructions do give some alternative wiring hints that may get them
working. I definitely wouldn't spend a lot of money for some 'super' mouse. Since every
mouse requires power from its host computer there is the possibility that some will draw
more current than the QL’s port can provide. The first mouse I tried ($15) would only
work after it and the QL had been powered up for a while and occasionally would stop
working. I tried a second mouse ($10) and it works great all the time.
Fortunately the hardware side is the hardest part. The software is quite easy to use.
Simply LRESPR or EX the code (or the equivalent if you don't have TK2). The driver
can be loaded either way. If you LRESPR it, you will have some new extensions to
SuperBASIC to control the mouse driver. If you start it as a job (EX) then the
commands are not available but you can control the job like any other in QDOS. The
SuperBASIC extensions allow you to set the mode (pointer or cursor), set the speed of
the mouse (how fast the pointer moves in relation to how you move the mouse), and
reset, suspend, enable and remove the driver. There is also a screen blanker provided.
While these are quite common on most computers including the QL, most will not turn
the screen back on if the mouse is moved. The included blanker will turn the screen on if
any key is pressed or the mouse is moved.
The mouse driver's default parameters can be changed using the standard pointer
environment Config program. | would recommend not changing anything other than
what port you are using until you get the mouse working correctly. After using it for a
while you get a better feel for how fast or slow you want the mouse and what function
the mouse buttons provide. There have been some comments in the QL press on using
the proper driver depending on what type of serial connectors your QL has. There are
38
SERMouse - (CONT'D)
English and German versions of the driver provided. My experimentation has shown
that the driver does not matter. There appears to be no difference other than when you
are using the configuration program. The prompts will be either in English or German.
Both versions seem to work Just fine on my USA QL. (Other than I can't understand the
prompts in the German version).
SERMouse contains automatic support for the Hermes replacement IPC if you have it.
The manual tells you how to configure the driver if you have Hermes. When the driver
loads it will detect Hermes and set only the input baud rate of the port the mouse is
using. Anything that changes the system baud rate will not affect the mouse. If you don’t
have Hermes, SERMouse still tries to allow you to use both serial ports. It remembers
the baud rate before it initializes and then sets it to 1200 for the mouse. If a program
opens a channel to the other port the mouse driver will suspend itself and set the baud
rate back to the previous setting allowing you to use a printer, etc. When the channel is
closed the mouse driver will enable itself again. The manual explains what to do with
programs that don't close the channel right away. Hermes is highly recommended for use
with SERMouse.
SERMouse is a great addition to the pointer environment and is even better with
Hermes. It also works well with or without a Gold Card. Its only possible drawback is
that it does take up one serial port, although an advantage is you do not have to open the
QL case to install it like an internal mouse. Depending on how many serial devices you
want to hook up to the QL’s ports you might be able to use a serial cable switchbox. This
is what I currently use.
My printer and modem share SERI through a switch and the mouse has SER2. Since the
mouse is really only using the input of one port, the output should be free. However
SERMouse uses the unused output line as a negative voltage source for the mouse.
(Mice require +5v, -5v, ground, and data). You could externally power the mouse or
even use the QL’s -12v supply but there is still the problem of the software. Even with
Hermes and Minerva allowing split input and output baud rates the driver opens the
port for the mouse and any other program will get an 'in use' error if it tries to use the
port 1 would like to see a way of having a printer and mouse share one serial port if
possible. With a printer only receiving data and a mouse only sending data it should be
possible at least as far as the hardware goes. Whether or not QDOS will allow it remains
to be seen.
SERMouse can be obtained direct from Albin Hessler or from various QL dealers
including Jochen Merz Software, W.N. Richardson & Co. (EEC) and Mechanical
Affinity.
The mouse I currently use has the following information on it: Keen Mouse, FCC ID:
HQXKEM-260, Model No: KEM-260. I have seen this same ID and model on other
mice that look just like this one. The only difference was the brand name. The mouse
that gave me some trouble was an Identity Systems Technology Inc. IDMOUSE-C, FCC
ID: IOWCM-290.
(Editor's Note: Please note ALBIN HESSLER SOFTWARE's address in the editor's
note at the end of the Easy Pointer III review.)
39
PD & Shareware Software
QL Emulator AMIGA V3.21 (3 Disks)£3.00p
C68 Compiler Runtimes (3 Disks) ..£3.00p
C68 Compiler Srce Code (2 Disks) .£2.00p
MicroEMACS V3.11 (2 Disks)....... £2.00p
GNU Text Utilities (2 Disks)..... £2.00p
Adventure93 (2 Disks)............ £2.00p
SPECIAL 1 О.А.Т.5................ £1.00p
SPECIAL 2 MolGraphics V5.11..... £1.00p
SPECIAL 3 XLisp Vi.4a............ £1.00p
SPECIAL 4 QPACer................. £1.00p
SPECIAL 5 'C' Tutorial........... £1.00p
SPECIAL 6 Lib QPTR V2.00......... £1.00p
SPECIAL 7 Lib CPORT V1.22........ £1.00p
SPECIAL 8 QRactal Screens Demo...£1.00p
SPECIAL 9 QL Home Finance........ £1.00p
SPECIAL10 ZM14 SPECTRUM Emulator.£1. 00р
SPECIAL11 Lib CURSES V1.01....... £1.00p
SPECIAL12 ELVIS Editor V1.6...... £1.00p
SPECIAL13 Text 'N' Graphix Demo. .£1. 00p
SPECIAL14 'C' Prog Tools 1....... £1.00p
SPECIAL15 'C' Debugging Tools....£1.00p
SPECIAL16 Ergon Development Demo.£1.00p
SPECIAL17 Ger -» Eng Wordlist....£1.00p
SPECIAL18 QDesign Demo........... £1.00p
SPECIAL19 D.J.Walker Demo Disk...£1.00p
SPECIAL20 DBAS Database.......... £1.00p
SPECIAL21 FTCIIDemo............ £1.00p
SPECIAL22 QL Hard Disk........... £1.00p
SPECIAL23 PSION Xchange.......... £1.00p
PD. Disks t to Ase τς ος oe £1.00p ea
(Each PD Disk contains 10 programs and
a Menu. Each Disk contains a BOOT prog
that RUNS the Menu. Each program RUNS
from the Menu unless otherwise stated.)
QITALY Disk Mag Iss 18 -> 24. .£1.00p ea
(Each Disk contains 1 Issue of the
QITALY Magazine.)
All Disks are 3.5in DS/DD. DS/ED and
DS/HD can be catered for but User must
supply Disks.
P&P for PD & Shareware
Quantity UK Euro 21 Z2
1-3 £0.50p £1.00p El.50p £1.75p
4 - 6 £0.75p £1.50p £2.00p £2.25p
7-9 £1.00p £2.00p £2.50p £2.75p
10 - 12 £1.25p £2.50p £3.00p £3.25p
13 - 15 £1.50p £3.00p £3.50p £3.75p
16 -18 £1.75p £3.50p £4.00p £4.25p
Euro:- All EEC & Scandinavian Countries
Z1 :- Mid East, USA, Canada etc.
Z2 :- Australia, New Zealand & R.O.W.
QUBBESoft P/D
38,Brunwin Road,Rayne,Braintree, Essex. CM7 5BU.
Telephone. 0376 347852.
New Q.L. Hardware
QEP 3 EPROM Programmer. Will program
2716 -> 27512 SV MOS & CMOS Ερτοπιβ.
Includes A5 Manual............. £120.00p
Trump Card. 768K RAM, Toolkit 2, Disk
Interface, Dynamic RAM Disk, Printer
Buffer. Includes A4 Manual...... £95.00p
ExpandeRAM 512. 512K RAM with thru port
to connect other peripherals i.e. Disk
Interface, Eprom Board etc...... £45.00p
ExpandeRAM 0. ΟΚ RAM, as above except
User supplies RAM chips (8 chips=256K,
16 chips=512K).................. £20.00p
Twin 3.5in Disk Drives. Fully Cased
with internal PSU, 720K formatted
capacity per drive............. £100.00p
2nd User QL Hardware & Software
OL's (JS/UMROM)........... From £35.00p
Disk Interface's........... From £25.00p
Memory Expansion........... From £30.00p
Disk Drive’s (Twin)........ From £70.00p
Disk ргіуе' в (Single)...... From £45.00p
Monitor’s (Green Screen)...From £30.00p
Monitor's (Colour)......... From £55.00p
Toolkit 2 (Plug in ROM)......... £15.00p
QL Related Books....... Under Half Price
QL User/World Back Issues........ 75p ea
QUANTA Back Issues............... 40p ea
Used Microdrive Cartridges....... BOp ea
New 3.5in DS/DD Diskettes........ 40p ea
All types of Commercial Software
including Games, Front Ends, Utilities,
Languages etc, etc, too many too list.
P&P New & 2nd User Items
Please Telephone or write for details.
When writing please include S.A.E. or
I.R.C. to ensure a reply.
Payment Methods
Cheques (in UK Pounds drawn on UK Bank)
Postal Orders & International Р.О.'5
payable to.............:- QUBBESoft р/р
Eurocheques payable to.:- R.Dunnett
Cash in UK Pounds is also acceptable.
Catalogue
Stamped Addressed Envelope or
International Reply Coupon for latest
Issue.
Im stillen Winkel 12 *
New Postcode! New Postcode! New Postcode!
New Postcode!
Б and Fax: Germany-203-501274
47169 Duisburg
New Postcode! New Postcode!
The prices shown include 15% VAT now. Customers outside the EEC pay 15% less, but they will probably be charged the VAT rate
of their country from their customs. Within the EEC, all customers benefit because our VAT rate is the lowest, so it is already a
|
kind of "discount". It will also simplify customs handling, e.g. in case of repair or upgrade etc.
QD Version 5 - The first (and only) Editor using the Pointer Environment. Dy-
nomic memory allocation, no limit on numbers of lines, comfortable black-han-
dling and many, many new features, e.g. improved print menu, better search/re-
place, GOTO Procedure and Function, even GOTO Machine code label. Latest
version with improved short keystroke selection.
New features: V5 Thing Interface which makes QDS extendable ond inbuilt
HyperText HELP System! This HELP System is very eosy to use, simply move
the cursor over a word ond press HELP (F1) and you get extensive help on the
subject. With complete HELP (German and English) foc SuperBASIC, inclusive
examples! It is very easy to make Assembler-Help, e.g. get external definition of
routines, libraries etc. with one keystrokes. HELP can be called recursively, which
means, you can get help on previous help on another help subject. You can even
edit the help texts, add remarks, examples etc. (V5.12] DM 125,-
Upgrade from QD V4 DM 25,90
All our products which contain SuperBASIC extensions wili be updated so that
they will have files which you odd to your HELP System so thot help is provided
for additional Procedures/Functions!
HyperHELP BASIC
This product gives you instant help in SuperBASIC! The price is much lower for
those wha program in SuperBASIC only ond do not require a full QD (although it
is very useful). HyperHELP can be executed, put onto HOTKEY or woken from a
Button. It displays the full set of SuperBASIC procedurs, functions and keywords
currently existiag in your machine, plus additional help on operotors, identifiers
etc. Simply click on the word on you get the full description, use of all parameters
plus examples. FORGET ABOUT YOUR MANUALS for parameter description! You
get complete help on SuperBASIC, in German and English. The help files can be
updated with any editor, Quill, Text87 so that you can update and add remarks
whenever you want. DM 49,—
QMenu - the Menu Extension NOW IN VERSION 4!
QMenu is a very easy to use interface with pre-defined menus (e.g. multi-col-
umn file-select, simple-choice boxes, select from lists, error handling). These
menus may be used from SuperBASIC, machine code and other languages. New
feotures: the directory name is (optionally) not fully listed, i.e. only the names
INSIDE the subdirectory ore given, allowing for much more files to be listed in the
window. New DO AND REPORT menu. Brandnew feature: pre-defined
directories and Extensions may be changed and configured at run-time! More
examples, improvements here and there, which makes the Menu Extension
getting mature. [V4.09] DM 39,90
Update with new manual DM 16,-
QDOS Reference Manual ~ This book is a must for all m-code program-
mers. It explains how to use QDOS, all traps and vectors, the Thing System, the
HOTKEY System Il and much more. It paints out which features work on a QL, an
Emulator and how to write compatible for future operating systems. DIN A5,
over 170 pages. DM 89,90
QPTR - The Pointer Environment Toolkit Revised manual which describes
how to use the Pointer Interface and the Window Manager from SuperBASIC
and machine code, even how to setup standard CONFIG tables. QPTR comes
with examples on disc. Alt necessary keys, macros and extensions for SuperBASIC
are supplied. ОМ 92,-
FLP/RAM Level 2 - Replacement EPROM for SuperQ8oards (V 1.17 onwards,
with & without mouse) or TrumpCard (please specify Real sub-directories!
QL-Emulator and Gold-Cord compatible! With ATR-device (to read ond write
MS-DOS/ATARI discs). About twice as fast, with improved slave-block-han-
dling! (Not JM ROMs!) DM 56,-
QDesign Il - Graphic- and Design-program
For all 9 and 24 pia printers, Deskjet and Laserjet DM 150,-
Font-Vector-Editor for QDesign ОМ 60,-
SER Mouse - driver for a serial (e.g. DOS) mouse connected to one of the SER
ports of the QL which then mimics the QIMI interface. In addition, if you have a
three-button mouse the following additional features ore available: ESC, Wake,
Sleep. Supports HERMES now. DM 40,-
QSUP - System Utility Package DM 79,90
ΗΕ - the FileFinder UM 49,90
DISA - intelligent Disassembler DM 90,-
SYSTEM - System Tools for QDOS - DM 90,-
Thing & EPROM Manager DM 61,50
lineDesign DM 249,-
QLOAD-REF DM 47,
QUiberator DM 159,-
You can now run QDOS on a Mega STE
The new QVME display cord, which fits inside the ΥΜΕ bus of a Mega STE, is
ready now! No soldering, you just plug it in. Fully progrommable screen
resolutions, from 512x256 pixels up to 1024 by 780 (even during run-time!)
and programmoble display rotes etc! Please write for more information.
QVME-Card and Emulator software DM 695,-
QL-Emulators – history and programming documentation. Not ο
user manual (which comes with the emulator). DM 13,-
E-Init software for QL- Emulator: loads, runs and initialises a lot faster.
Can boot completely from harddisk, with auto-start facility and a lot more.
New manual, new disks. [E.30] DM 49,90
A Spreadsheet running under the Pointer Environment!
QSpread is completely mouse- and/or keyboard—controllable and uses, of
course, the Menu Extension. Windows may be enlarged up to the maximum
screen area (think of QVME), the application window may be split in up to
three different horizontal and vertical sections, giving 9 independent control-
lable areas. £very cell may be formatted independently, with many options
(justification, decimal point etc.) and with preview. The monetary symbol may
be longer than one character, e.g. DM. Sum- and other often-used
macro-functions. The size of the sheet is only limited by memory (16000
cells need about 400kBytes). Block handling and block entry is very easy and
useful, especially if you have a numerical pad: you select the block and enter
the values one ofter the other. They are automatically place in the right or-
der. No cursor-key-action necessary! New: celiname-enquiry, echo-func-
tion, different rounding methods. Many additional functions, which belong to
today's standard-equipment: Help, Button-function, use of the Scrap, oll
standard file operations, calculation order row or columns etc. [V1.16j
QSpread with comprehensive manual DM 169,-
Updates: Our update policy is very generous: updates on most products
are free! Upgrades (i.e. major improvements on the products) are availabie
at small charges. In general you only have to pay if new manuals are
required. For updates and upgrodes, just return the original disc and enough
retum postage (none, if updates come with an order, DM 6,- for up to 5
discs or DM 12,- foc more.
Upgrade to QPTR (with new manual)
New Emulator manual DM 16,-
EASYPTR il - Create your own PE menus & sprites, use them in your own Su-
perBASIC or machine-code programs. Creating Menus was not easy, until now! -
Part 1 Basic with menu generator, sprite editor etc. DM 99,-
Part 2 SuperBASIC Toolkit, Appendix manager δι many examples DM 49,-
Part 3 Library routines for C and Assembler, source code generotor DM 49,—
(if you order part 3, retum disks 1 & 2 for a free update)
ZX8301 DM 19,90 ZX8302 DM 17,90 Kbd membrane DM 31,-
Diamonds DM 35,90 BrainSmasher DM 45,90
Arcanoid DM 35,90 Firebirds DM 35,90
SuperGamesPack DM 90,- The lonely Joker DM 52,90
QShang DM 45,90
Brondnew games for the Pointer Environment
The Oracle is an ancient tactic-puzzle, where you do not have to be fast but
clever! You have to fill a number of tiles into a field, but there are various rules
how to do it. If you can place all the tiles you get a bonus - if you obeye special
rules you can get much more points! The first person who solves the puzzle will be
abie to buy goods for free from Jochen Merz Software - the amount of the sum
depends on the score! Every game is different, you'll never be bored! Other
features: high-scare table, hints for next move. DM 49,90
Minefieid requires o lot of skill and concentration to mark an area of mines -
maybe you know this game from the PC. Many options, configurable area size,
number of mines etc. Requires Toolkit і. DM 39,90
DM 40,50
Please add DM 14,- for postage and package (Europe) or DM 14,-
for ane item and DM 7,- for every further item (Overseas).
No extra charge on credit cards! All prices incl. VAT. (15%) E&OE.
199
Fed up of DIGITAL PRECISION telling
you how very good their software is
“As surmise by this time, | am impressed MATHS's abilities. Having
καὶ det DIBITAL PI σε ών ος tans ος κα) ca eres
{incredible, ultimate, superb come to mind), I had approached this evaluation with
some scepticism. That scepticism has vanished.” > INTERNATIONAL QL
REPORT (IQLR, avellabie from Miracle Systems} May/June 1993 issue, Official Review
M.Laverne commissioned by IQLR (who bought their review copy of the program].
“PERFECTION is an ‚ full-flavoured, general word
incredible capacity... PERFECTION hat voued, general pur png oni Procesor of
PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION... The discoveries began to trip over themselves as
PERFECTION SE responded to the keyboard with unexpected speed and
intelligence... PERFECTION SE is blindingly fast at most things, and you are never
left waiting for tt. PERFECTION is everything that Quil never became: easy to use,
very flexible, loaded with genuinely useful features, cleanly multi-tasking, capacious
and incredibly fast. The SPECIAL EDITION offers 12 cylinder power and luxury to an
already impressive package.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine Official Review,
1993 issue, by THE Mike Lloyd of Keyword Index / New QL User Guide fame.
“I find PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER an outstandingly good program that r
does alow, highly professional docurenis tt pedal ert μμ,
included a few samples of work done {ος school using a combination of PERFECTION,
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, QUICKLASER and EYE-Q. You will be pleased to
know that the quality has been rated so highly that people do not believe it can really
have been done with just a QL... 1 must stress that | am already highly impressed with,
and very satisfied by, the performance of PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER and all the
other DP programs that | use... I seem to learn something new that can be done
almost each time I use the program. Very many thanks for helping to keep the QL
ahead of the field." > Martin J Neave, Headteacher, Watton County Jnr School,
Brandon Rd, Watton, Norfolk IP25 GAL (unsolicited letter dated 18 May 1993
Tore programs: Mr Neave had paid full price for everything).
“LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION accelerates QL operation as nothing else
does... more than 10x is achievable and 2x-4x is typical... | could not fault
LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION on anything. It Is a clear winner and a best buy at
£49.95." > SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine Official Review, April 1990 issue, by
Massey, who wrote EDITOR (bought full price) was “Superb” in an earlier review.
"PERFECTION is well named" > R.H.Petford, Kingston Hi , KT2 7LJ
( cited letter received May 25, 1933: another ful price purchaser & upgrade],
“When my ideal finaly arrived in the form of PROFESSIONAL
PUBLISHER, tt surpassed all my expectations... PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER (is) in
a class of its own, and makes it the only QL desktop publishing program for the very
serious user... Until Digital Precision released PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, my
opinion was that the use I could make of desktop publishing was mainly restricted to
short documents... PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER is a very versatile program... The
illustrations for this series of articles have all been produced on PROFESSIONAL
PUBLISHER... My printer is a BROTHER 9-pin dot matrix printer. It does illustrate
the very high quality that can be obtained from PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER even
when using a simple printer.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine Guide to desktop
publishing (A Question of Dots", January 1992 to December 1992 issues: the
reviewer had bought PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, PERFECTION SE, FONT
GER, TOOLBOXES, QUICKLASER etc from Digital Precision all at full price.
“Lam aware that over the ital Precision has considerable to
Va суо анага Та суне M учага ГАЛЫ ой ak атканны шнын tà
recently encountered with PERFECTION PLUS." > The Hon. W.D.R. Spens,
Bridgewater, Somerset, ТАБ 1HG, QUANTA magazine, March 1992 issue. Mr
S bought a lot of his software from Digital Precision, all at full price of course.
"The Digital Precision Publisher was hailed as an i
шы ке Абзал тына was Коко Mie Liya ass a
professional eye over Digital Precision's latest page-making blockbuster
(PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER) and finds plenty to be pleased about.. there is
unlikely to be a single program of such magnitude and quality (as PROFESSIONAL
PUBLISHER) written for the Sinclair QL.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD Official
iew, August 1989 issue, by M.Lloyd, who personally bought all this at full price.
“EDITOR is a liberation. After Quill, it was like jumping from an aquarium into
the sea. It has become part of my professional life... Everyone is now writing about
the excellence of PERFECTION. 1 have not tried it, not having any perceived need for
it (having EDITOR! > Suzanne Cronje, QUANTA magazine, May 1992 issue, page
2, Ms Cronje naturally had paid the full price for her copy of EDITOR SE.
/ “I have found (PERFECTION) to be simply excellent, fast, packed with features
and very well thought out. | can find little to say that will convey just how good this
program is, except to quote Digital Precision's own advertising: PERFECTION will
blow your socks off. PERFECTION is the program that Quill users have been waiting
to.” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD magazine first Official Review, May 1991 issue.
“Digital Precision (DP) decided to begin work on a replacement for Quill which
would be very quick, simple to use and contain lots of excellent features - something
upon which DP have built a very strong reputation in the QL market... Overall, the
speed-up (of just the first release of PERFECTION - it is much faster now] on even a
humble QL with Trump Card is amazing when compared with Quil (or any other
word processor]. On top oí this, the program provides many excellent and well
thought out features, each οἱ which is easy to use... (i is certainly years ahead of the
competition on the QL (and even on many Ρος). > R.Mellor, c/o CGH Services,
Cwm Gwen Hall, Pencader, Dyfed SA39 ЭНА; Official Review of the very first version
οἱ PERFECTION in Οἱ. TECHNICAL REVIEW issue 7: and the reviewer personally
bought his own copy οἱ this program, and many others at full price, from Digital
Precision. Earter QLTR reviews pronounced LIGHTNING (just the standard version)
superior to the competition and ADVENTURE CREATION TOOL excellent.
У "As a recent user of PERFECTION PLUS SE, may I add my thanks and praises to
the ones [ am sure you already received... keep up the excellent work.” > R
eo
“Αἱ about 360,000 words, the Mega SPELLCHECKER dictionary does not have
much competition, on any computer! (Gpeichecking) is about four tines as fact os the
best figures I have seen with other checkers on QL and PC.” > SINCLAIR QL
WORLD magazine official review of PERFECTION spelichecker, September 1992
issue, by Bryan Davies of Troubleshooter repute (review copies of all the competing
supplied to SINCLAIR QL WORLD by their respective publishers).
"| have been using PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER for about eighteen months
now... what you can do with it is colossal... | got Digital Precision's QUICKLASER.
The results are as good as (Digital Precision) says in its advertisements..." > P.Hamill,
Peterborough, Cambs PE8 6RH, QUANTA magazine, Volume 9 issues 4/12. Mr
Ш (full price purchaser) then makes suggestions to users re optimal page sizes.
“Once again I would like to say thank you for your help. | would like to tell the
world what nice guys you are but unfortunately | have no contact with the outside
ως Godshill, Ventnor PO38 3JJ (full price purchaser, 24 May 1993).
"PC CONQUEROR GOLD SPECIAL EDITION is an excellent product,
accompanied, as so often with Digital Precision software, by a compr ive and
informative manual. The program does a difficult job, and does it well... Overall, this
program is much faster, more compatible and capable..." > SINCLAIR QL WORLD
ial Review, March 1993 issue, by M. Knight (bought many DP programs full price).
"Many thanks for the update of PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION. I am suitably
impressed. Congratulations on producing the only word processor that | know that
offers the best of all worlds as far as formatting is concerned. After Quil,
PERFECTION is like a breath of fresh air." > Geoff Wicks, 1097HL Amsterdam,
Netherlands (unsolicited letter dated 13 June 1993: all software including LIGHTNING
ο... PRO PUBLISHER, CONQUEROR SE etc, purchased at full price).
“All | can say about QMATHS is: WOW!" > Robin H 3 SP5
= (unsolicited letter маты April 1993: Мг Holoway κα fal price purchased
used a of deskt blishers on the iga, Í admit | am
Ves und Ue ith the superior performance of аат аала оти а It
contains everything required” > SINCLAIR QL WORLD January 1989 issue, article
titled "6 of the Best" which also praised five other new Digital Precision programs.
1 take this οἱ to say that [ have, in the found the software
Nee nanas ma wi LIGHTNING etc} to be οἱ xtreme high фе обага You
with that found in industry-standard PC packages. Keep up the good work. Without
your quality software, [ would be forced to abandon the QL and go to a PC." > G.
Reynolds, Crosby, Liverpool L23 OSS (unsolicited letter dated April 2 1993, placing a
further order for DP software: all programs old & new were purchased at full price).
Á This URS but a casual sclection, drawing only on extracts from letters
received by DIGITAL PRECISION in the last few days and from articles (in
respected, independent QL journals) that just happened to be to hand. If we
really had to, we could locate. about 1,100 equally complimentary recent
communications (the figure has been carefully arrived at by sampling all our
correspondence files): pleasant though such a trawl would be, we have more
pressing things to do, like keep refining our programs! In case any scepticism
still exists, we refer potential purchasers of our products to pages 18 and 19 of
the September 1988 issuc of Sinclair QL World, which contained three to four
hundred other unsolicited quotations from happy Digital Precision customers
(together with the customer's name and whereabouts), all of whom had bought
their DP programs. That collection covered only three programs (and only partly
- we ran out of space) and predated our best software (LIGHTNING SE,
PERFECTION (+SE), PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER, PC CONQUEROR
(+SE) etc). We reproduce those pages below, duly reduced to fit (no magnifying
lens supplied, nor eyesight lawsuits solicited). Don't think DP hides behind
small print: send an SAE for a full-size co k fc free while ordering!
VW DP are
QXLs (at extra-low prices
2
liers of the best QL software and hardware, including GOLD CARDs and
ices with our software). If you do not receive any QL magazine
containing our four or five page advertisements, please contact us for a copy of the ad, which
contains brief details on all our programs, prices and special discounts. [f you have been out
of touch for a while, you may be amazed at how much new software we have now produced!
DIGITAL PRECISION LTD, 222 The Avenue, Chingford, London E4 9SE
Telephone (24 hour): 081 527 5493 (UK); +44 81 527 $493 (rest of the world)
3-D PRECISION CAD SYSTEM
ADVENTURE CREATION TOOL SPECIAL EDITION
ARCADIA GAME
ARCHIVE DEVELOPMENT SYS + RUN-TIME MODULE
ARCHIVE TUTORIAL
BETTER BASIC EXPERT SYSTEM
BLOCKLANDS GAME
CASH TRADER v3.3 + ANALYSER
COMPARE FILE UTILITY
COPY UTILITY FOR BACKING UP
CPORT BASIC TO C AUTOTRANSLATOR WITH Cua COMPILER
CPORT BASIC TO C AUTOTRANSLATOR
DATABASE ANALYSER FOR ARCHIVE
DAT-APPOINT APPOINTMENT DATABASE SYSTEM
DESKLIET/LASER.IET DRIVER FOR PRO PUBLISHER
DESKTOP PUBLISHER SPECIAL EDITION
DESKTOP PUBLISHER
DIGITAL C COMPILER
DIGITAL C SPECIAL EDITION
DISKTOOL WITH QUICKDISK
DROIDZONE CAME
DR-DOS v6.0 STATE OF THE ART PC OPERATING SYSTEM
EDITOR SPECIAL EDITION
EDITOR
EYE-Q GRAPHICS SYSTEM
FONT ENLARGER
GAMES COMPENDIUM (ALL FIVE GAMES)
GRAFIX 24-PIN UNIVERSAL PRINTER DRIVER
HARDBACK + FINDER HARD DISK MANAGER
IDIS INTELLIGENT DISASSEMBLER
IDIS SPECIAL EDITION
LIGHTNING ACCELERATOR
LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION ACCELERATOR
LIGHTNINC COLD SPECIAL EDITION
MAILMERGE DATABASE SYSTEM
MEDIA MANAGER SPECIAL EDITION
MEDIA MANAGER
MEGA DICTIONARY
MICROBRIDGE
NAMES AND ADDRESSES DATABASE SYSTEM
PAYROLL SYSTEM
49.95 €
РС CONQUEROR GOLD SPECIAL EDITION + DR-DOS v6.0 179.95 €
PC CONQUEROR COLD SPECIAL EDITION
PC CONQUEROR WITH DR-DOS v.o
PC CONQUEROR
PEDIT PRINTER DRIVER FOR XCHANGE
99-95 6
139.95 €
59.95
19.95 а
PERFECTION PLUS SPECIAL EDITION wrre SPELLCHECKER 139.95 ¢
PERFECTION PLUS wrru SPELLCHECKER 99-95 r
PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION WORD PROCESSOR 99.95 с
PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION DEMO VERSION + DATA 19.95 с
PERFECTION WORD PROCESSOR ενος d
PERFECT POINTER TOOLS 29.95 а
PROFESSIONAL ASTROLOGER WITH ASTRONOMER 69.95 а
PROFESSIONAL ASTROLOGER 59.95 а
PROFESSIONAL ASTRONOMER 29.956
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER TOOLBOXES (OTH PARTS) 49.95 r
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER TOOLBOX PART ONE 29-95 r
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER TOOLBOX PART TWO 19.95 с
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER 89.95 с
QFLICK CARD INDEX SYSTEM 29.95 ^
QKICK FRONT END SYSTEM 24.95 а
QMATHS MATHEMATICAL SYSTEM PART ONE $9.95 c
QMATHS MATHEMATICAL SYSTEM PART TWO 59.95 с
QMATHS MATHEMATICAL SYSTEM (BOTH PARTS) $9.95 <
QMON MACHINE CODE MONITOR 39.952
QUICKLASER PUBLISHER DRIVER FOR LASERSET/DESKIET 19.95 с
RECOVER ARCHIVE UTILITY 19.95 a
REVERSI GAME 9-956
SEDIT + SCREENPRINT ARCHIVE UTILITIES 39.95 а
SOLUTION PC EMULATOR WITH DR-DOS Ф.о 109.95 r
SOLUTION PC EMULATOR 29.95 r
SPELLCHECKER WITH DICTIONARIES 49.95 d
SUCCESS CP/M EMULATOR 49.95 b
SUPERBASIC MONITOR 24.95 а
SUPERFORTH COMPILER WITH REVERSI 39.95 а
SUPER ASTROLOCER 24.95 6
SUPER ВАСКСАММОМ GAME 9-950
SUPER SPRITE GENERATOR 29.95 а
TOOLKIT Ш WITH ROM 49.95 h
TOOLKIT ш 29.95 а
TRANSFER UTILITY SPECIAL EDITION 29.95 b
XREF SUPERBASIC PROGRAM ANALYSER 29.95 а
TRANSFER UTILITY 9.956
TURBO BASIC COMPILER + TOOLKIT 79.95 5
ULTRAPRINT SCREEN DUMP UTILITY
XREF SUPERBASIC PROCRAM ANALYSER
KEY a-Aruiiabie either om cartridge or disk; Only on disk, c-Miniaeums £ 11K
παρε only em disky d-Miminnums 256K exp: athar cartridge ος disk, ге Місія
19.95 a
29.95 а
256K expt outy om disky a-Onty om artridge @- Машгала LSM RAM: only eu
Miski Wm As well ac cartridge oc dek, yeu get a ROM.
SPECIAL DEALS
Buy any two of our programs, deduct 5% from the
total; 10% off 3; 15% off 4; 20% off 5; BE% off 5+!
VERY SPECIAL DEALS FOR IOLR READERS:
Deduct an additional TWENTY PERCENT (20%)
from your order - and this can be combined with
the Special Deals! You've never had it so good! For
example, say you order (together with five other
items) GAMES COMPENDIUM. Ordered individually,
the games would cost 5x£9.95-£49.75. But to you
the cost would be just £29.95-25%-20%=£17.97, a
reduction of £31.78 - a saving of nearly two-
thirds!! And of course you would get both the 25%
and the 20% discounts on all the other five items
too! This offer is open for four weeks from
publication of this issue. Take advantage of this
offer, and of the still ‘cheap’ £ sterling, by acting NOW.
DEMO VERSION OF PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION!
We have prepared a DEMO version of PERFECTION SPECIAL
EDITION word processor. All saving, exporting, printing,
automatic (manual is OK) reformatting, dictionary-maintaining
and spelichecking (whether by block, page, document or disk)
are disabled or slugged, and speed is somewhat reduced (it is
still very very fast). But absolutely everything clse works. If
you have any doubts as to whether PERFECTION SPECIAL
EDITION can be as good as the ads say, this DEMO version will
soon convince you! To really see this program fly you need large
files, so we supply as part of the DEMO version over 3 megabytes
of absolutely fascinating files, together with ARC, an excellent
p.d. compressor/decompressor for any file. The supplied files
include much of the Bible, Perfection manuals, the Maastricht
treaty, a cleverly scrambled (because of confidentiality) but still
hugely entertaining extract from our huge customer database
and much more. When, having tried the DEMO, you order the
full SPECIAL EDITION (with or without spelichecker), return
disk #1 to get £10 off. The data files etc are yours to keep, of
course. If you own PERFECTION SPECIAL EDITION already, you
can buy just the data files (+ ARC supplied free) for £9.95. We
use the program as a word processor, database, technical editor,
cross-referencing aid, comparator, programming assistant etc.
THE sman PRINT
* We accept payment by VISA, Mastercard, Access, Eurocard, Eurocheque,
UK£ cheque drawn on a UK branch of any bank, postal order,
cash/travellers cheques (preferably in UKE - if US$ or DM, add 10% to
cover exchange costs), or even direct funds transfer to our bank account
#60327808 at Barclays Bank, South Chingford Branch (sort code 20-53-00),
NE London Business Centre, PO Box 2403, London NIS 2BY. If you really
must send a non-UK£ cheque, you must add U$$30 to cover the heavy
clearing charges we will have to bear at our end.
* Upgrades cost the difference im current price plus £10; return the
original disk and documentation. Do NOT return documentation if the
upgrade is to a SPECIAL EDITION of your original program (except in the
case of the LIGHTNING SPECIAL EDITION upgrade, as that program has an all-new
manual}. Upgrades count as programs for the purpose of calculating
Special Deal prices, which is very good news for you!
* Mail-order to the UK, add nothing; to non-EC Europe (e.g. Switzerland), add 5%} to
outside Europe (e.g. USA), add 10%; to other EC countries (e.g. Holland), add 15%.
Retail prices to UK & other EC states include full-rate UK VAT as per EC regulations.
Expiry date:
SAID Leen amm E uv eram m КЕТЕРЕ трн зат М ἕπῃ are met by А Mail Expr
SUBSCRIPTIONS / ADVERTISEMENTS
IQLR is published by SeaCoast Services of 15 Kilburn Court, Newport, Rhode Island,
USA. Our telephone number is 401-849-3805 (voice and fax), business hours are 10:00
AM to 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (1500 - 0100 GMT) Monday through Saturday.
ALL material published in IQLR remains the property of SeaCoast Services, and is
COPYRIGHTED, unless otherwise specified. Written permission from SeaCoast
Services is REQUIRED for use of material published in IQLR.
DISCLAIMER: SeaCoast Services reserves the right to publish, edit, or reject any
submitted material Under no circumstances will SeaCoast Services be liable for any
direct, indirect, or consequential damage or loss arising out of the use or inability to use
any of the information, software, or hardware related items published in IQLR.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
USA $18.00 per year
BRITISH ISLES & EUROPE $32.00 (US FUNDS)
CANADA $21.00 (US FUNDS)
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA $32.00 (US FUNDS)
THE REST OF THE WORLD $3800 (US FUNDS)
Single issue rates are $5.00 (US FUNDS) per issue, plus postage. We will accept Pounds
Sterling (£) or DM bank notes (currency) equivalent to the US Š amount.
IQLR is published 6 times per year. Our subscription year runs from 1 May through 30
April. MID-YEAR SUBSCRIBERS WILL BE SENT BACK ISSUES FOR THE
CURRENT YEAR.
GENEROUS discounts are available to User groups placing subscriptions for four or
more members. Contact IQLR for additional information.
ADVERTISING RATES:
2 PAGE SPREAD per issue = $120.00 £75 DM 185
FULL PAGE per issue = $65.00 £40 DM 100
HALF PAGE per issue = $32.50 £20 DM 50
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE IS: 15 AUGUST 1993,
ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE IS: 15 AUGUST 1993.
(EEC) (EEC)
W.N. Richardson & Co.
18-21 Misbourne House, Chiltern Hill
Chalfont St. Peter, Great Britain SL99UE
TEL: 0753 888866 FAX: 0753 887149
KEYBOARD '90 INTERFACE for XT/AT KEYBOARDS
(instructions included)
EXTERNAL CASE & CABLE FOR ABOVE
HARD DISK INTERFACE for MEM or RLL H.D.D.
(accomodates up to 400M B) (send for additional info)
P/C CONTROLLER INTERFACE & CONNECTOR
2 SLOT BUS EXPANDERS For Above & Gold Card
QL in it's original case QL installed in a large PC case QL installed in a small PC case
Q{ HOD -Card QL-HOD-Card ^ Controller
Controller ΚΑ angfo-adaptoc / н
BUS -Expander vertical
Controtier with angle-edaptor
t QL-HOD-Card.
The typical assembly with the three different layouts flex, horizontal and vertical of the CL-BUS-Expander.
P/C BOARD Aor B $40.00 FLEXIBLE C $60.00
We can supply a full line of QL Spare parts, and we still have a limited supply of new
QL's. Call, Fax, or Write us for all your QL needs. ALL major credit cards accepted.
TF SERVICES
HERMES
The ULTIMATE operating system upgrade A replacement QL co-processor for
the QLs awful IPC 8049
MKII MINERVA with battery for 256 bytes ram,
CRASHPROOF clock & Philips I2C bus for parallel/
analogue interfaces to drive robots, central heating etc. ` Do you get keyboard bounce?
Can autoboot from battery backed ram. - Do you find fast seria! input unreliable?
- Do you want to connect a modem at 19200bps
DEBUGGED pee ue |
operating system/ autol on reset/
Multiple Basic/ faster scheduler-graphics (10% of If you cam say YES to any gi ass
lighting)-string handling WHEN ERROR/ second then you need HERME
scree TRACE/ foreign keyboard drivers/ "warm" fast xA
reset/ Auto reboot after power failure. - 19200bps RELIABLE serial input - NO QCONNECT.
- Independent input baud rates - use serial mouse & print
; ed repeat chrs
Ist MKI to MKI upgrade: £1.50 (+ manual £5 if requd) ane m ον
(send rom (PROTECT LEGS! & NEW disk/3 mdvs) - Provides extra input/output lines
- Key click
(мк...гитмоуинизу мк!....бв(Е63у#6т] )
Fitting is a simple job. Simply remove the QL top (8
BOTH VERSIONS GOLD CARD COMPATIBLE screws) and replace the chip marked '8049' or '8749"
next to microdrive 1.
QL SP ARE S £26(£24)[£27] incl manual/software
РС Interfaces
Faulty QL board ( no plug-in chips).......... £11(£10)[£16]
Kybd memb ...£8.50(8)[9.50] Circuit dings .£3.50\(£3)(£41] | тһе PC bus was designed by Philips to simplify
68008 cpu .......£8.50(£8){11] 1377 PAL .......£3.50(£3)[£4] interfacing. Minerva MKII clock is driven by an PC
JM ROM...£10.SO(£10)[£11] Power supply .£17(£16)[£26} chip, & a connector allows connection of other circuits.
8302 ULA.£10.50(£10)[£11] [#21]
8049 IPC....£8.50(£7.50)[£9] 8301 ULA.£10.50(£10)[£11] Parallellaterface Up to 4 can be connected powered
by the QL. Each gives 16 input/output ports. Can be
used wherever logic level signals are required
eg model train controllers.. .. £26(£24) [£27]
BULLETIN BOARD Analogue Interface Up to 4 can be connected &
powered off QL. Each gives 8 analogue to digital
inputs, 2 digital/analogue outputs. For temp
QBBS - The first UK QL scrolling bulletin board. measurement, sound sampling etc...£31.50 (£29) [£30]
International echomail & the whole King James’ bible!
Data. sheets. ............
(*44)71-706 2379 V21/23/22/22bis Control: softwarcaiantal
АП prices include airmail post & packing, & zero VAT rated outside thc EC. Prices are: EC except
UK (Europe) [Outside Europc] Ring for UK prices. Payment can be by Mastcrcard/V isa/Eurocard/£ cheque/money
ordcr/bank draft drawn on UK bank branch, or cash! Any customs duty etc customer's responsibili
_ 12 Bouverie Place, LONDON, W2 IRB `
Το]: (+44)71-724 9053 ` Fax:. (+44)71-706 2379.